Literacy

Ingham ISD’s literacy consultant/coaches provide professional learning for our preK-12 educators and administrators using Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts and evidence-based practices found in the Literacy Essentials. We provide professional development services in the area of literacy for teachers, administrators and support staff from the early phases of literacy acquisition through adolescent literacy, including the most effective ways to teach readers and writers.

Improving student achievement, teacher competencies and the implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) are the goals of Ingham Intermediate School District. We will assist local districts and teachers in achieving these goals with professional development in the 3 Tiers of Intervention, literacy instruction, data analysis, core program implementation, intervention selection and implementation.

National Family Literacy Day - November 1

National Family Literacy Day®, celebrated across the U.S., focuses on special activities and events that showcase the importance of family literacy programs. First held in 1994, the annual event is officially celebrated on November 1st, but many events are held throughout the month of November. Schools, libraries, and other literacy organizations participate through read-a-thons, celebrity appearances, book drives, and more. For great information on literacy activities, please visit any of the following resources:

Early Learning & Family Literacy Calendars

In 2016 Michigan law was changed to support statewide literacy efforts for students in Michigan. This law requires that Michigan’s school children read at grade level by third grade. The resources below have been provided to help school districts support this legislation.

Additional information on the calendars can be found on the Great Start Collaborative website or by clicking on the image below.

Early Learning Calendar

This calendar contains a variety of information related to preparing children for success in kindergarten, what children will be learning in kindergarten and fun things you can do together from birth to develop and support children’s skills!

Families may pick up one free copy of each calendar from any Capital Area District Library location. A library card is not required to pick up a calendar.
School Districts and other organizations will be charged for calendars based on the fees shown on the order form. Order yours today!
Sales tax will be added to all orders from non-exempt organizations.
Orders can be picked up at the Ingham ISD Thorburn Education Center. Shipping is available for an additional fee. Shipping costs will be calculated upon receipt of your order. Shipping will be charged based on the number of calendars and shipping address.

Family Literacy Calendar for K-1

This calendar was developed in order to give families some information and guidance on how you can help children be prepared to succeed in kindergarten and first grade.

Families may pick up one free copy of each calendar from any Capital Area District Library location.
School Districts and other organizations will be charged for calendars based on the fees shown on the order form.
Sales tax will be added to all orders from non-exempt organizations.
Orders can be picked up at the Ingham ISD Thorburn Education Center. Shipping is available for an additional fee. Shipping costs will be calculated upon receipt of your order. Shipping will be charged based on the number of calendars and shipping address.

Read by Grade 3 Law

What Is The Law All About?

In an effort to boost reading achievement, Michigan lawmakers passed Public Act 306 in October 2016.

To help more students be proficient by the end of third grade, the law requires extra support for K-3 students who are not reading at grade level.

The law also states that a child may be retained in third grade if they are one or more grade levels behind in reading at the end of third grade.

What Do I Need To Know As Parent?

Your child’s reading progress will be closely monitored beginning in kindergarten.

If your child is not reading where expected, a plan to improve reading will be created. This means your child’s teacher and school will work with your child to find where your child needs support in his/her reading development and create a plan to support him or her. This plan includes:

Extra instruction or support in areas of need.
Ongoing checks on reading progress
A Read-at-Home plan that encourages you and your child to read and write outside of the school day.
Your child may be encouraged to participate in summer reading programs.

The extra supports in your child’s reading improvement plan will occur in small groups during the school day. Your child will not miss regular reading instruction.

In order to be promoted from third to fourth grade, your child must score less than one year behind on the state reading assessment, or demonstrate a third grade reading level through an alternate test or portfolio of student work.

If you are notified your child may be retained, you have the right to meet with school officials and to request, within 30 days, an exemption if in the best interest of your child. The district superintendent will make the final decision.

What Can I Do To Support My Child?

Read at home with your child daily with books they enjoy, even in the summer. Some ways to do this:

Read out loud to your child
Listen to your child read
Echo read (You read a line, then they repeat)
Read together at the same time
Reread or retell favorite stories
Talk to your child about the reading

As you read:

Ask your child to share what they remember.
Ask questions about the reading.
Talk about your favorite parts, what you’ve learned, or who is in the book and what they do.
Talk about the pictures in the book how they connect to the words on the page.
Talk to and with your kids a lot: Knowing more words helps kids to understand the words they read better.
Encourage writing: Let children write the sounds they hear, spelling is developmental and a work in progress.
Be involved in your child’s education and support the reading plan if your child has one.

More resources can be found at Michigan Department of Education.

Resources

Families

Facts for Families: Read By Grade 3

The law states that third graders may repeat third grade if they are more than one grade level behind beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. To learn more, visit MDE’s Early Literacy Page and select the Facts for Families: What is the Read by Grade 3 Law?

What is a Good Cause Exemption Process?

A specific reason within the law for a child to be promoted to 4th grade. To learn more about the good cause exemption process, visit MDE’s Early Literacy Page and select Fact for Families: What is a Good Cause Exemption Process?

ReadyRosie

All families in the Ingham ISD service area who have a child from birth to grade three are invited to register for ReadyRosie, an educational resource that uses the power of mobile technology and video modeling to support you and your child in learning! Families will receive access to videos tailored to the child's age; have fun learning and doing activities together; and track the child's progress and boost learning.

Michigan Learning Channel

The Michigan Learning Channel is a statewide public television partnership offering instructional content to support the education of students and to provide alternative resources for families and teachers.

This free programming is being broadcast via special on-air channels established by each of the participating public television stations in Michigan. It is also available as a livestream and stored for on-demand viewing on a variety of digital platforms, ensuring accessibility to all students, teachers and families across the state.