Reading into Norwood Elementary’s stunning scores
Our inaugural Literacy Hub at Norwood Elementary, a Miami-Dade Public School in Miami Gardens, closed the 2023-2024 school year with results beyond anyone’s expectations.
No one learns to read alone. No one learns to guide students to literacy alone. The Lucy Project advocates for children who struggle to read and empowers educators to help students overcome that struggle. The vision is a world where all students read, and to get there, partnerships are crucial. They’re also remarkable.
For the 2023 school year, we set a goal: partner with a Miami-Dade Title I school to get as many of their kindergarteners reading on grade level by the school year’s end. At the start of the year, 52% of Norwood Elementary kindergarteners were developing readers. We aimed to make that 80% by the end of the year. In June, Acadience Assessments showed that 91% of students in the Literacy Hub program were reading on grade level.
Awestruck
We set out to improve student outcomes by empowering teachers with training in Structured Literacy methodology and year-round support.
It turns out we uncovered two remarkable insights:
Integrating a Literacy Hub into a Miami-Dade Public School
Can catapult kindergarteners’ reading capabilities.
Inspire teachers
Public School + Nonprofit partnerships create a significant win-win relationship.
How The Literacy Hub Works
May through August is a rigorous + supportive + flexible Teacher Training:
12-week paid apprenticeship
30 hours professional learning
1 daily hour of teaching practice (scheduled in-person or virtually)
Professional development & support (weekly)
During the school year, the teachers apply their new skills with The Lucy Project learning specialists – forming a stronger educational team and results:
Promote ongoing growth for teachers
Collaborative planning
Observation
Feedback
Better outcomes throughout the year
The teachers & literacy specialists align on teaching methods so students receive consistent instruction & can improve their skills on a clear path.
Every student gets more support & practice
Daily literacy small group instruction, so more students get additional specialized attention & practice.
Students who need one-on-one intervention & intensive support get it
The Lucy Project universally screens students to identify those at risk of falling behind, and those students get 1:1 support before, during, and/or after the school day.
Two Kindergarten teachers at Norwood participated in TLP’s Structured Literacy training program. Together, the classes held about 40 students.
Team Players
The Lucy Project envisions a Miami-Dade where all students can access the resources they need to build a strong reading foundation, live choice-filled lives, and contribute to building a better world.
The beauty of partnerships among nonprofits and educational institutions is that it’s a clear win for everyone involved. The fundamental reading skills are taught - traditionally - between PreK and 2nd grade. By 3rd grade, students who aren’t reading on grade level have a harder time catching up; they struggle in other subjects and college and career readiness. This partnership between The Lucy Project and a Miami-Dade Title I school elevated kindergarten students to surpass anyone’s expectations.
Every member of a team plays a position. It’s how championships are won, and records are set. The Literacy Hub’s impact is made possible by a team of educators with solid training & stronger support systems, and we couldn’t be more proud.
The Literacy Hub at Norwood was supported by the Roblee Foundation23, Dollar General Foundation, Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ, John T Macdonald Foundation, COSTCO, PNC Foundation, The Children's Trust, Banesco, Peacock Foundation, NPSS-National Partnership for Student Success and The Miami Foundation. We are forever grateful for your support.