Children’s Literacy Initiative has fostered more than 50 Model Classrooms in five states. These classrooms function as exemplars, where excellent books, high expectations, and teachers trained in the best practices combine to improve student achievement. Many Model Classroom students live in poverty, and although they are statistically likely to fall behind their middle-class peers in school, CLI’s methods prepare them for success by encouraging early literacy. Additionally, the benefits of a Model Classroom transcend its own four walls, as visiting educators observe effective techniques in action, then emulate them in their own classrooms.

Now CLI (in partnership with the Philadelphia School District) is expanding its program of literacy enrichment to include a model school. The project site is Newlin Fell Elementary of Philadelphia, where only 37% of third graders are proficient or advanced readers. Fell was chosen due to the fact that its students perform at an average level within the district, and it serves a wide range of different students (including a substantial population of English language learners).

CLI has maintained one Model Classroom at Fell since the fall of 2004. Given access to high-quality books and effective instruction, 100% of students in this classroom met or surpassed national grade-level reading benchmarks during the 2004-2005 school year. This achievement demonstrates the potential of all Fell School students to reach national norms when taught with best practices in a stimulating, literacy-rich environment.

With the support of Glenmede Trust and the Hamilton Family Foundation, CLI recently added three more Model Classrooms at Fell. The newly trained teachers enthusiastically support CLI’s program.

“The professional development is far better than any I’ve ever received.” said Erica Baechtold, a model kindergarten teacher. “[My CLI coach’s] knowledge base is amazing. She’s been trained, and she has so much expertise, but she respects what I know. Together, we get to something much better than I would have arrived at on my own. My children’s desire and ability to read, write and do hard work has increased by 100%.”

“There’s a lot of energy around what [the Model Classroom teachers] are teaching, and not just what page they’re on,” added David Younkin, CLI’s Manager for Professional Development. “One third grade teacher used to nag her students to write five sentences. Now she says the kids are upset when writing workshop ends for the day. She’s amazed at what even the struggling kids can produce.”

By next fall CLI plans to begin developing every K-3 classroom, meanwhile fostering collaboration between teachers. The goal is for all Fell third graders to reach the state reading assessment average score of 63% by 2010. CLI hopes that the model school project will grow to incorporate other schools, resulting in a gradual, systemic improvement.

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The CLI program increases language and literacy scores in Lancaster (PA) school district pre-kindergartens, 2003-2006

A pre-kindergartner recognizes a word during Message Time Plus® -- a key instructional component of the Blueprint for Early Literacy curriculum -- in Kelly Goins's Lancaster Model Classroom.

In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, CLI has leveraged one Model Classroom into work with all pre-kindergartens in the school district.

A $25,000 grant from Wachovia enabled CLI to establish the pre-kindergarten Model Classroom in the 2003-2004 school year. It was among the first to pilot CLI’s then new Blueprint for Early Literacy® pre-kindergarten curriculum.

The School District was so impressed with Blueprint and the increase in student achievement that it used Early Reading First funding to purchase 21 more Blueprints. Since 2004, CLI has also provided training and coaching support for the district’s teachers and literacy coaches, as well as Head Start teachers, using the curriculum.

For the 2005-2006 school year, along with support from the Armstrong Foundation to sustain the Model Classroom, the district added Blueprint to 18 more class- rooms and continues to expand the program.

CLI is now providing professional development to all pre-kindergarten teachers in the Lancaster School District and working with the district as they partner with private childcare centers in Lancaster. CLI hopes to expand its services to these classrooms and to the remaining Head Start classrooms in the area.

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