On a MissionThe Wisconsin Reading Coalition is a grassroots movement of parents, educators, advocacy organizations, health professionals, and business leaders committed to bringing scientifically-based reading instruction and intervention to all Wisconsin students.
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. ~ Mohandas Gandhi
Problems in Wisconsin ReadingVideo: Reading Crisis in WisconsinWisconsin 4th Grade NAEP Reading Results, 2011
Wisconsin’s performance on the reading portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is simply unacceptable and unnecessary. Click here for an analysis of the results. - Below Basic - Basic - Proficient - Advanced -
• 66% of our students score BELOW proficient, 32% BELOW basic.
• Our African-American students have among the lowest scores in the nation, with 61% BELOW
basic.
• 75% of students with disabilities score BELOW basic, three grade levels behind their MA counterparts. How Wisconsin Measures Up | Upcoming Events & Breaking News Contact us with information on reading events in your community and we will post them here! See the Events page for conferences NEW: National Council on Teacher Quality sues UW Board of Regents for education course syllabi Read article Read the complaint NEW: More rigorous scoring coming on the WKCE Click for details NEW: Governor Walker has announced upcoming legislation to implement the recommendations of several education task forces, including Read to Lead. The reading legislation will address the universal screening of young students and the new reading exam for teacher licensing, in addition to creating a mechanism for combining private and state funding to address reading initiatives. State Superintendent Tony Evers issued his own statement claiming that he has been left out of the legislation process, though our discussions with both DPI and the Governor's office indicate that DPI has been been consulted regularly during drafting. Read JS-Online coverage Read DPI press release Read Chippewa Herald coverage Read Wis Politics coverage Read Wisconsin Radio Network coverage NEW: Lindamood-Bell Overview Event Feb. 16 in Waukesha See Events page for details The Report of the Read To Lead task force has been released. Read the report. Read Superintendent Tony Evers' statement on the report. Read JSOnline comment by Erin Richards Read an expanded JSOnline article by Erin Richards Read JSOnline article by Alan Borsuk Read Wis. State Journal comment Video interview with Supt. Evers from Here and Now Audio interviews on Wis. Public Radio, La Crosse Newsmakers with Tony Pedriana, Rob Tyvoll, Governor Walker, and James Kuchta Read Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial Read Waunakee Tribune E-News article Ohio Reading Legislation: At year-end, Ohio passed legislation placing the definition of dyslexia into the statutes, beginning a three-year pilot program for early identification and remediation of students at-risk for dyslexia and other phonologically-based reading disorders, defining a dyslexia specialist as someone who has achieved training consistent with the Level II IDA Knowledge and Practice Standards, and giving Ohio Educational Service Centers (similar to Wisconsin's CESA's) and other educational institutions permission to hire dyslexia specialists to provide professional development for Ohio teachers and administrators. Read more. The results of the 2011 NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment scores were released December 7. MPS again scored at or near the bottom in all measures of reading. See the Front Burner page for details . The 2011 NAEP scores were released on November 1, 2011 View the results. Watch the presentation webinar. NEW: Read WRC analysis of 2011 NAEP data See comments by Read to Lead task force member Steve Dykstra See Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discussion by Erin Richards See Milwaukee Journal Sentinel column by Alan Borsuk See joint op-ed on the NAEP reading scores, written by Howard Fuller (Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University), Mary Newton (Wisconsin Reading Coalition), and Cheryl Ward (Wisconsin Branch-International Dyslexia Association). The Greater Milwaukee Foundation announced on November 16 that the first goal of its Milwaukee Succeeds initiative will be to improve third grade reading performance. The Helen Bader Foundation has contributed $300,000 over three years toward this effort. Read the announcement. The Wisconsin RTI Center has released the results of a Universal Reading Screening Survey. Click on the links to see a summary of the "top tools" schools are using across the state, and an Excel file with names of schools and individuals who are willing to share their contact information. Also on the RTI Center site, you can find RTI Center rubrics for selecting screening tools, interventions, and progress-monitoring tools. UW-Madison psychology professor Mark Seidenberg lays out the components of reading reform in a Capitol Conversation with Sen.Luther Olsen and Rep. Steve Kestell Marcia Henry Op-Ed in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Science can lead to better readers For replies to the op-ed, see the media page Open Letter to the Read to Lead task force addresses critical issues in Wisconsin A must-read concerning DPI's plans for implementing the Common Core State Standards in Wisconsin. Plus: A second open letter and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, Reading Program Plans Questioned Minnesota passes new reading reforms Wisconsin's Striving Readers Grant submitted Click here to read the application (Wisconsin was not among the winning states) Study for Annie E. Casey Foundation Links 3rd Grade Reading to High School Graduation Brain Imaging Study at Medical College of Wisconsin Seeks Participants The Functional Imaging Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin is seeking children ages 8-17 to participate in a study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Both children with and without reading disabilities (dyslexia) are needed. Full participation involves four visits. Families will receive a brief summary of their child's test results, a picture of their brain, a small stipend to cover travel and expenses, and a gift certificate for the child. For more information, see the recruitment document and call 414-456-7623 or 414-456-7624. Please feel free to copy and distribute or post the posting advertisement. DPI issues RTI Guidelines and three documents on the RTI/SLD Relationship Read comments on RtI in Wisconsin by Wisconsin Reading Coalition, Wisconsin Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, and Wisconsin School Psychologists Association. Mary Jo Ziegler has left her position as Wisconsin DPI Reading Consultant. National RTI Center Monthly Webinars Chicago 23 coalition forms to raise awareness of reading instruction at the national level NCTQ study examines reading textbooks used in colleges of education; See page 121 for a list The Annie E. Casey Foundation Issues a Kids Count Special Report on Reading ...click here for books, video, radio, and newspaper archives |












