Literacy Projects
Go to:
- Florida Department of Education Literacy Matrix
- Florida Department of Education Literacy Coaching Endorsement
- Pinellas County Schools Early Learning Initiative (PELI) – Pinellas, Florida
- Pinellas County Literacy Professional Development Support – Pinellas, Florida
- Trident United Way Literacy United Project – Charleston, South Carolina
- Kuspuk School District, Alaska – Flamingo Literacy Matrix Participation
- Lamprey River Elementary, New Jersey – Literacy Professional Development
If you want to receive direct communication about our programs, including updates or enrollment notifications, please fill out our Program Interest Form!
Florida Department of Education Literacy Matrix
The Lastinger Center partners with the Just Read, Florida! Office to offer the Flamingo Literacy Matrix professional development system to certified Florida educators. The Literacy Matrix serves as a pathway for teachers to earn the Florida Reading Endorsement. To date, nearly 3,800 K-5 teachers in Florida have enrolled in the Literacy Matrix.
Florida Department of Education Literacy Coach Endorsement
To realize the vision of the Florida Department of Education’s CARES Act Plan for upskilling highly effective reading coaches, the Lastinger Center is developing an online literacy coach endorsement. Through this training, coaches will gain advanced knowledge of highly effective literacy instruction, aligned with Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards, and evidence-based coaching strategies to enhance teachers’ knowledge and skills, ultimately improving literacy outcomes for students. Participants will earn their Literacy Coach Endorsement upon successful completion of the program.
Pinellas Early Literacy Initiative & Literacy Professional Development Support – Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas Early Literacy Initiative (PELI)
The Pinellas County Schools Early Literacy Initiative (PELI) focuses on improving literacy outcomes for pre-K children, ensuring they are prepared for kindergarten. In partnership with Pinellas County Schools and the Pinellas County Early Learning Coalition (PCELC), principals, assistant principals, directors, coaches, teachers and associate teachers are engaged in on-going, high-quality professional development through early literacy courses and bi-monthly early literacy communities of practice.
Literacy Professional Development Support
The Lastinger Center partners with Pinellas County Schools to support the design, implementation and evaluation of a research-based literacy professional development system for the district’s teachers, instructional coaches and administrators in order to bolster students’ literacy achievement. Professional learning experiences include:
- Access to online Literacy Matrix professional development content
- Summer virtual PD for Literacy Matrix participants
- Summer Bridge reading camp
- Literacy coaching professional development
- Leaders of Early Literacy professional development
- Access to digital leveled library and virtual resources
“The idea of collecting data and sharing that when coaching to discuss equity and being critically conscious was the most helpful.” – Coach
“It was eye opening to learn about the science of reading. I am teaching 3rd grade, and many of my students are not able to read yet. This helped me better understand why. “ – Teacher
Trident United Way Literacy United Project – Charleston, South Carolina
The Lastinger Center is working with the Charleston County School District (CCSD) to launch a series of tailored literacy professional development initiatives to support administrators, instructional coaches, interventionists, teachers and students. The goal of the project is to build a school-wide literacy culture by increasing instructional leaders’ knowledge of literacy, their ability to support teachers in literacy instruction, and optimizing scheduling to maximize the academic engagement of students. Teachers will participate in the Flamingo Literacy Matrix and Small Group Instruction to develop a deep understanding of the reading process and the skills necessary to teach reading. As a result, teachers will improve their reading instructional practice, implement reading curricula with fidelity, make data-based instructional decisions and in turn set more students on an early path to literacy and future academic achievement.
Kuspuk School District, Alaska – Flamingo Literacy Matrix Participation
Educators in Kuspuk School District are participating in the Flamingo Literacy Matrix to develop a deeper understanding of the reading process. After completion, they will be equipped to implement evidence-based reading strategies and assessment techniques in their classrooms to improve student outcomes in literacy.
Lamprey River Elementary, New Jersey – Literacy Professional Development
Lamprey River Elementary School teachers are participating in the Flamingo Literacy Matrix and Small Group Instruction to gain a deeper understanding of the reading process. Through this professional development, they will learn how to implement evidence-based reading strategies and assessment techniques in their classrooms to improve student outcomes in literacy.