Lit

📚 What We're Reading 📚 How well do you really understand your reading assessments? We've got assessments on our minds this month and can't stop passing around this recent article in The Reading Teacher from the International Literacy Association. In "Uses and Misuses of Commercial Reading Assessment: An Applied Framework for Decision Making in Grades K through 6," the authors break down the common challenges they see in the reading assessment landscape. (Shout out to Taryn Tong for sharing it with our team on Slack.) What stood out to us was that, at the core of each challenge, there is a critical need for educators and leaders to deeply understand different types of reading assessments: their intended purpose, their validity and reliability, and their scope. This insight resonates with what we see in schools, where building a clear and comprehensive assessment strategy is more crucial than ever. That’s why, in our Learn & Design programming, we work with leaders to help them grasp how individual reading assessments fit together into a cohesive and comprehensive strategy. The article also offers a set of actions for leaders and educators to address these challenges. Read along with us here: https://lnkd.in/egjH3dmw What assessment challenges are top of mind for you?

Getting ready for mid-year reading assessments? 📝📊 We know the drill! Mid-year progress is crucial, and yet, mid-year data is only one chapter in your students' story. A strong assessment strategy doesn’t just give you a snapshot of how your students are doing a couple times a year—it’s your week-to-week roadmap, steering your team with real-time, actionable insights that inform instructional and coaching decisions. This month, we’re putting the spotlight on assessment strategy as we continue to retell the tales we tell about the science of teaching reading. We'll explore: ✔️ Why strategy matters ✔️ What it looks like in action ✔️ The key questions to ask about your own assessment approach Want to stay in the loop? Hit “follow” to get fresh resources each week, including our next Knowledge List and questions to ask about curriculum-embedded assessments and universal screeners. Let's go!

Psssst! Did you get this month's Lit resources in your Inbox on Halloween? (All treats, no tricks - that's how we do it.) If not, sign up for our mailing list! Each month, we share out resources related to reading, reading instruction, and systems change. It's also the first place to hear about Lit events. (Spoiler: the end of the year will be all about assessment.) Stay in the know: https://lnkd.in/gX265nW2

🎃 As instructional leaders, there’s one thing that really sends a chill down our spine: priority planning. 👻 Why? When it’s your own school or system, diagnosing what’s getting in the way of achieving the results you want for kids can feel daunting. And taking a step back to identify where to focus next across a complex system? Even spookier! That’s why we rely on our Lit Quality Reviews. During each review, we dive deep—analyzing your data and artifacts, observing instruction in action, and gathering insights from staff—to reveal both the strengths and untapped potential within your reading ecosystem. The final Lit Quality Review Report captures our observations (supported by evidence), explains why each finding matters, and offers actionable next steps. We often hear that this last section becomes the foundation for real priority planning. (See more below.) Want to prioritize what matters for kids? We’re here to help—no trick, all treat! 🍬 #scienceofreading #InstructionalLeadership #LitQualityReview #ReadingEcosystem

🎧 What We're Listening To 🎧 Have you tuned into the second season of the Knowledge Matters podcast with David Liben and Meredith Liben? A new episode just dropped this week, and we're following along closely this season as it dives into comprehension. This week's episode opened with a line we love: "Theory is not terribly helpful without practice." This resonates deeply with us. We believe understanding theory and research is essential—it roots us in the “why,” making it easier to persist through challenges. But coupling that “why” with practice is what truly enables people to know what to do next. We were inspired by the educators in this episode, who shared practical examples of how they’re centering the text in their classrooms. 📚 Listen with us here: https://lnkd.in/dGzy5sCi

🔥 Hot off the presses! 🔥 Our latest Lit resource is here – a reflection guide for system and school leaders eager to understand and strengthen their reading ecosystem for kids and teachers. Last week, our webinar participants got exclusive early access. Now, you can download it too! 📖 Inside, we break down the essentials: How Lit defines the reading ecosystem Why a strong reading ecosystem matters What to ask as you consider if your system is set up for research-aligned, high-quality reading instruction at scale This guide draws from the same insights that power our Reading Ecosystem Alignment Diagnostic (READ) and our Lit Quality Reviews. 📥 Ready to reflect on your reading ecosystem? Download below!

What's it like to learn more about your reading ecosystem with Lit? During our Lit Quality Reviews, our team of reading and instructional experts dig in to better understand where your reading ecosystem is aligned to evidence and grounded in equity and where there are opportunities to build, align, and create cohesion. To get there, we pore over your data and artifacts, get on the ground to observe instruction and systems, and interview people across your school or system. The result is a Lit Quality Review Report that details strengths to leverage, gaps to close, and recommended priorities and initiatives. Our partners tell us the process helps them more deeply understand all the systems, structures, and resources that support reading and where to focus next. Curious about the Lit Quality Review for your school or system? Let's talk! You can sign up for a 30-minute conversation with Lit to nerd out about the reading ecosystem and share more about your needs. https://lnkd.in/eV-GUWFc

We've been talking about it all month - HQIMs are essential but insufficient to create a world where every kid, everywhere, is a reader. You need a reading ecosystem that's aligned to evidence and grounded in instructional equity. But where to start? At Lit, we've completed more than 40 "Lit Quality Reviews" across the country to audit school and system ecosystems. We pore over data, observe instruction, and interview people across the system. At the end, you receive a report that details strengths and opportunities in your current approach -- the perfect starting point for your annual plan or next literacy planning meeting. Want to learn more? Schedule a 30-minute consult with Lit to talk about your system and learn more about the ways we can help: https://lnkd.in/eV-GUWFc #leadership #scienceofreading #literacyleaders #literacyisliberation

What's a reading "ecosystem?" And why can't we stop talking about it? The recording is now available from, "Building a Research-Aligned Reading Ecosystem: A Leader's Guide to the READ," where you can learn more about what Lit means when we say "reading ecosystem," why it matters for system-wide reading transformation, and how we use our Reading Ecosystem Alignment Diagnostic to help leaders know where to start. Watch It Now: https://lnkd.in/e2r75kdk

You know what makes our heart sing? A binder that's ready to WORK. 📒 Lit's Nicole Warren is on the ground with our partners at Memphis Merit Academy Charter School today for an Instructional Coaching Visit and this crew is ready! 📚 (Our heart also beats a little faster whenever we see our logo right alongside our partners. We are in this together!) #coaching #scienceofreading #literacyisliberation