This document outlines the steps states must take to improve the literacy skills of secondary school students. The report emphasizes that states must implement a broad system approach to developing a comprehensive literacy strategy that includes: 1) alignment of content standards, curricula, and assessments; 2) development of a high-quality teacher workforce that understands the importance of literacy instruction and how to do it; 3) use of data to identify student needs and monitor the efficacy of instruction; 4) development of district literacy plans that use research-based literacy support strategies in all content areas; and 5) design of organizational structures and leadership capacity to sustain and enact these elements strategically. The report also provides a state framework for adolescent literacy that provides a series of steps that states should follow in order to transform day-to-day literacy instruction throughout the state, as well as a State Policymakers' Checklist.
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Background and Context
Across the country states are struggling to establish sound literacy learning standards for adolescents and appropriate teacher preparation standards in literacy for teachers who will work with adolescents. At the secondary level, literacy should not only be addressed in the language arts curriculum, but it should play a central role in every subject area.
