Building Literacy Foundations: A Strategic Vision in Hillsborough County

"Kids are too valuable. You can't say, 'Well, we'll see what happens in five years.' No, The urgency is always there."

This week, we talked with special guest, Tracie Bergman, a passionate literacy advocate and the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Instruction with a Literacy Focus at Hillsborough County Public Schools. With a career spanning over two decades, Tracie shares her extensive experience and innovative strategies to enhance literacy across one of the largest school districts in the U.S.

Key Takeaways:

1. Literacy Frameworks: Tracie emphasizes the need for clear instructional frameworks across all grades to ensure consistent, high-quality teaching.
2. Professional Development: She highlights the vital role of ongoing training and support in enhancing teacher efficacy and adapting to literacy initiatives.
3. Community Engagement: Insights into engaging families and communities to support literacy through effective partnerships and resources.
4. Curriculum Strategies: Tracie discusses methods for selecting high-quality materials and adapting to feedback for educational success.
5. Challenges and Successes: She shares experiences of overcoming obstacles and achieving success in literacy programs across Hillsborough County.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction of Tracie Bergman and her educational background.
• 04:09 Overview of the demographic and structural complexities of Hillsborough County Public Schools.
• 04:39 Steps taken to establish a foundational literacy framework in the district.
• 07:16 Challenges faced in standardizing literacy instruction across a large district.
• 09:33 Successes seen from new literacy initiatives and professional development.
• 17:40 Role of families in supporting literacy and strategies to enhance parental involvement.
• 24:01 Advice for district leaders on aligning practices with the science of reading.

Science of Reading Resources

Accelerate reading achievement with over 700+ decodables mapped to a rigorous phonics progression in English and Spanish: www.JustRightReader.com

Read our blog: The Science of Reading: What You Need to Know