Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.

S) for Literacy

PANEL SUMMARY FOR GRANT PROPOSAL Principal Investigator: Irby Title: GEMS proposal Positive and unique aspects of the proposal: Well written and constructed proposal. Noticed the attention to detail and good use of citations. Negative aspects of the proposal: Would have liked the SMART objectives in that section. Suggestions for future submission: This feels ready to go.

Included Parts: -APA Cover Page Perfect -Project Summary Good summary though a little long -Table of Contents Nicely organized -Background and Significance- Great background -Specific Aims Need to be SMART Objectives -Program Design and Methods Easy to follow the different components and how it will work -Evaluation Design and Methods Nice evaluation -Sustainability Good plan -Appendix A. References - Nice -Appendix B. Biographical Sketches fine -Appendix C. Budget Great Budget -Appendix D. Budget Justification Perfect budget narrative -Appendix E. Program Logic Model Beautiful Logic Model -Appendix F: Timeline / Process Chart Nice Time Line Panel Recommendation: Rating/Score 23 out 25 X FUND Amount: $24,000 _ NOT SELECTED FOR FUNDING

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

Masonic Home for Children at Oxford

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy Pre-Proposal Grant Period: August 2014- July 2016 Cost per Year: $12,463.79

Nafeesha Irby, Masonic Home, Intern 3031 Jehossee Street, Apt 309 Raleigh, NC 27616 njirby@ncsu.edu 704.804.2043

Kevin Otis, Administrator Masonic Home for Children at Oxford 600 College St Oxford, NC 27565 Phone: 919.693.5111 Fax: 919.693.2479 kotis@mhc-oxford.org

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

Project Summary Illiteracy is a common threat to schools, communities, and households throughout our nation. Recently over 45 states adopted a new curriculum known as Common Core that was designed to push students to interact with academia differently and infuse literacy in all content areas. Each year, North Carolinas Department of Instruction releases what is known as NC School Report Cards. This allows for public view of where children landed in their proficiency in reading, math, and other core content areas. However, each year, schools, parents, communities, and district leaders are asking questions that push for answers around what needs to be done to ensure our children are prepared for the future that lies ahead of them. Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy will help to tackle this concern for children who live in substitute care at the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford (MHCO). The programs objective is to increase literacy rates and grow reading levels so that children are on grade level and ignite something in them that pushes them to be excited about reading. It is designed to reach both children who are struggling to reach proficiency for their grade-level and those who may show signs of regression in literacy. The program seeks to incorporate home-based literacy support through the use of tutors, parental partnership, and additional stakeholders. We will do this through scheduled bi-monthly tutorial sessions, tracking running records of reading growth, creating personal opportunity plans to target the needs of children, and cross-collaboration between cottages where students reside. Based on data shared by tutors and from two computer-based learning programs (the Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids programs), children will receive support tailor-made and designed to aid them in reaching their goals.

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

Table of Contents

Project Description I. Background & Significance II. Goals & Objectives III. Program Design and Methods IV. Evaluation Design and Methods V. Sustainability Plan

Page 4 4 6 9 12 13

Appendices Appendix A: References Appendix B: Biographical Sketch Appendix C: Budget Appendix D: Budget Justification Appendix E: Program Logic Model Appendix F: Program Timeline 15 16 18 19 23 24

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

Program Description The mission of the Home is to assist families in need by providing a home-like setting together with community-based programs and services for children to reunite with their families or achieve independence. In order to truly see this manifest in a way that prepares children to be active members of society, we believe there should be an additional emphasis on education and community support. Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy is a program designed to provide educational mentorship through the use of current teachers who will serve as tutors to the children who live on the Masonic Homes campus. The scope of the G.E.M.S for Literacy program is to provide scheduled tutorial sessions throughout the duration of the school year and allow students to receive smallgroup, differentiated, literacy support that is aligned to their current level of performance and growth trajectory. The resources that will be used to guide the program are Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids computer programs, both provided by the company Learning A-Z; a company that has provided a series of literacy support backed and supported by research. Additionally, these programs are used in the local public schools in which the students attend which allows for continuity, familiarity, collaboration with teachers, and consistent support in a mechanism that has been proven to target students greatest needs in literacy and help them to maintain a positive momentum. I. Background & Significance Literacy development is a major goal of education and one of the fundamental prerequisites for academic success and participation in modern society (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). In todays society, ones ability to read, write, and comprehend information at a high level speaks to their ability to participate as a contributing member to the economic well being of society and obtain a career that allows them to be fiscally stable. Since 1990, the Main National Assessment of Educational Progress has been administered for children in grades four, eight, and twelve. This assessment helps to determine the proportion of students who are proficient or on grade level in reading (Reardon, Shores, & Valentino, 2012). According to the most recent Main NAEP, reading assessments that were administered in 2011 reflected that 67% of fourth-graders could not read at a basic level and only 34% percent just hit the mark

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

for proficiency (Reardon, Shores, & Valentino, 2012). This demonstrates the high need we have as a nation to improve literacy for all of our children. From the experience of educators, we often find that research tells that illiteracy greatly affect children of the minority. However, we find that poverty is not always attached to a race. In and out of our schools across the United States, we find that the ability to appropriately fund our public school and provide our children with a quality education greatly rests in the extent to which a community can afford to put money into their local schools. We find that here, in rural, Eastern North Carolina, race does play a role in our educational system, but is not solely attached to race. Illiteracy touches all children. Local Need According to the 2008 Measure Up report for North Carolina, only 28% of students by the 8th grade were adequately prepared for education and training beyond high school based on results of the National Assessment Exam in reading. This was a decrease of three percentage points from the early 1990s. The data reveals a substantial decline in 8th grade literacy over the past decade (The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 2008). While this data reflects the proficiency levels of a population different from those we intend to reach, it speaks to the level of unpreparedness of our children both during and prior to middle school. Grades K-3 is the time in which students learn to read and grades 4-5 is when children read to learn. If students entering into middle school during grade six are not provided with such a foundation, it is undeniably true that it will be extremely difficult for them to make up those lost years of learning. In the district serving the city of Oxford, literacy proficiency rates by grade level are even lower. For example, proficiency for the third grade is 60.4%, fourth is 63.0%, and fifth is 68.2%. There is a strong correlation between these literacy rates in the 4th grade and high school graduation. The current graduation rate for the county is 72% and only 51% of high school students were eligible to take the Scholastic Assessment Test needed to attend college last year (Public Schools of North Carolina, 2012). When performing a diagnostic assessment on our children at the Home in grades four and five, one out of the six children tested were proficient or on grade level. The data shows that those children

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

entering the fourth grade struggled the most. Data from the elementary school that the children attend reflects that the third grade is performing at 50%, fourth grade 49.4%, and fifth grade 52.3% in reading (Public Schools of North Carolina, 2012). It is clear that those in grades four and five would benefit greatly from an intervention approach that helps them learn strategies such as how to annotate important information in a text and timing words read per minute, and those children in grades K-3 would benefit from a preventative approach such as how to blend sounds and fluency. While it is evident that the need is great both at the district and school-wide level, by reaching those students who are highly at risk in literacy, we can begin to build a sense of partnership around community and schools that will hopefully start a trend to increase and enhance literacy for all kids in our county. Through the literacy instruction students are receiving in the classroom, they are typically slated to grow 1 to 1.5 years in reading. However, because many of our students start the school year already behind in core subject areas such as Reading, it is difficult to guarantee that they will be on grade level and ready for what North Carolina calls the End-of Grade test; which, determines not only proficiency, but if a child is adequately prepared to move on to the next grade-level. Best Practices for Improving Literacy As the need continues to grow to ensure our children are prepared to exceed in all phases of their educational journey, we want to put structures in place to help them approach education comfortably, confidently, and successfully. Many students leave elementary school at either grades five or six and are significantly behind. Typically, when a child enters middle school, we find that the potential for them to catch up to their peers who are proficient by the time they enter high school is scarce. We also find that situations such as the extent of education received by parents and guardians as well as the habits employed at the home play a tremendous role in the extent of support received outside of school. Many studies show positive connections between student outcomes and parental involvement. Additionally, principals and teachers have indicated the importance of parental involvement in educating students (Epstein, 2001). Through parental involvement, students become more invested, parents become more

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

aware of the needs of their child, and teachers can serve as a support in helping both child and parent grow. In Jeynes (2005) meta-analysis, of the impact of parental involvement and student achievement in K-12 students, he found that their achievement results were higher when there was active parental involvement. This pattern held true for students across all racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, those parents who invested time in reading and communicating with their children and not solely attending school functions such as parent-teacher conferences, evidenced greater impact. The idea of helping parents to create healthy habits at home that supports their child academically has consistently proven to lead to great results. One approach to enhance parental involvement is through extending and improving child literacy experiences outside of school through so-called family literacy programs (Herppich, Kurvers, McElvany, & Van Steensel, 2010). These programs can be similar in nature to those used in the school setting, but helps to train an educate both the parent and child about best practices in developing healthy, effective, and successful habits around all facets of literacy. Epstein (1991) revealed that teacher leadership in involving parents to work with their child at home contributes to strong reading achievement, regardless of teacher quality. Parents also reported that through stronger support and communication from teachers, they were able to be more aware and involved in the instructional programming used in their childs classroom; hence, the importance of the G.E.M.S for Literacy program serving as a platform for crosscollaboration between teachers in the community and parents. II. Goals & Objectives The aim of Giving Educationally Motivating Signals for Literacy is to increase literacy rates and reading levels of children living in substitute care and enrolled in local public schools. There are two goals that encompass the reoccurring themes in the overarching vision noted above. Goal I: To significantly increase the literacy rates and Lexile reading levels by at least 1 year of growth of over 15, elementary-aged children living in substitute care, who demonstrate challenges in reading, writing and comprehension by providing prevention and intervention support

Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) for Literacy

Goal II: To establish a measurable and sustainable program that will support house parents1, staff, and children in developing healthy and effective habits around literacy both in school and at home We anticipate that by incorporating a research-based literacy program that is comprehensive of technology and one-on-one, differentiated support, by the end of year one, students would have either met 100% of their individualized growth goals or have shown at least 80% growth. Our bi-monthly tutorial sessions led by our community teachers will either confirm or deny that the children we serve are receiving a level of learning, coaching, and guidance that appeals to their needs. We will use the Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids program to work with the children through small group instruction, and allow them to engage in a variety of targeted and fun learning activities that will track their starting, mid, and end points in reading, as well as give us data entry points that can be used to make additions and revisions to the program. Due to literacy development being an iterative process, it takes time to reach the levels of growth we aspire to be true. The short-term and long-term outcomes we strive to achieve throughout the duration of the two-year program are multi-layered and outlined below.

Short-Term Outcomes Experience academic growth in literacy and overall success in the classroom due to skills taught Feel confident in their abilities to meet academic outcomes Develop Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely goals for themselves as it relates to monitoring their personal progress and outcomes Clearly articulate their short and long-term goals as it relates to their academic trajectory

Have a desire to grow in their academic abilities; specifically in literacy Enjoy learning and having fun while doing so Develop organizational skills and study habits that will increase their ability to read and write
1 This term refers to the parents assigned to the cottage in which the child resides. The children at the Home remain under the custodial care of their biological parent(s), family member, or the states Department of Social Services.

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Long-Term Outcomes 100% of children in grades K-5 (25% of student population) who reside at the home are reading on grade-level Continuous community support and involvement in working with the children who reside at the home Scheduling of both in-home and out-of-home activities grounded in literacy Continuity of literacy-based programs and support 0% of children classified as below grade level in reading 100% positive outcomes and experiences for children 100% growth in reading test scores at school to ensure promotion to the next grade with an appropriate level of preparedness

III. Program Design & Methods Families are important contexts for literacy learning and are the basis for the development of interventions that have as a primary goal to also teach parents. This holds especially true for those who are likely to experience literacy delays because of well-known risk factors such as low socio-economic status or low parental literacy levels (Purcell-Gates, 2000). One of the most important areas to address when working with children who show signs of struggle in literacy is one-on-one support. Family-based support provides ample opportunity for targeted teaching and learning with intensive practice and individualized feedback. Additionally, incorporating this form of support helps to incorporate positive, healthy habits that creates a culture for learning and teaches the child how to excel academically. Lastly, through the use of parents, we are able to increase the program sensitivity to the cultural and social development of the child within the home (Herppich et al., 2010). Given where our children are currently in their reading, we plan to follow several steps that research shows will propel our children forward in their literacy growth. We plan to have all adult participants professionally trained by representatives from the Learning A-Z company, develop

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personalized plans for students that will guide the academic plan they will follow, and run student performance reports monthly to track progress to goals and make adjustments to the program as necessary. Training We plan to help prepare our parents and tutors for the use of the literacy program of choice by having them professionally trained. Most programs using professional parent trainers had positive effects on childrens cognitive and language development, whereas those using semiprofessionals were not effective (Olds & Kitzman, 1993). The companys professional development trainers will conduct a training session in the fall of each year the program is active. The training support also includes access to professionally led webinars that will allow parents, tutors, and staff to have unlimited access to these trainings during times that work best with their schedules. Real-time support and feedback is also accessible. It is once again important to emphasize the need for parents to be professionally trained as well as tutors. According to a longitudinal study conducted by Dearing, Kreider, and Weiss (2006) of 281 lowincome and ethnically diverse children in grades K-5, literacy achievement and strong parental involvement are parallel. Out of this study emerged five main findings. First, parent involvement related positively to student literacy achievement. Second, an increase of student literacy achievement was witnessed as parental involvement increased. Thirdly, high levels of parental involvement seemed to override the extent of maternal education. Fourth, parental involvement increased childrens feelings and experiences with literacy. Fifth, school context predicted parental involvement. All five of these findings are interconnected to the success of the G.E.M.S program. If parental involvement is not treated and viewed as pivotal, the results and experiences of the children may not be as transformational. Student Personal Opportunity Plans Upon the completion of training, the program will proceed with two meetings per month in which tutors will first develop a personal opportunity plan for each student they support. This plan will be based on the childs starting point identified by both their school reports on reading and initial

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performance using the literacy programs. They will then use the provided, scripted, lesson plans that will serve as a primary source to how to work with the children on a level most appropriate to their needs. Since the tutors are also teachers, they will have the autonomy to make adjustments to the plans as needed to maintain the best interest of the child. The incorporation of the parents is equally important to the incorporation of teacher tutors. By having both forms of support in conjunction with the Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids programs, we are able to touch on the pedagogical significance of tutoring such as providing students with scaffolding and feedback, focusing on specific sub-skills of literacy, tutoring by minimallytrained tutors (parents), including adolescents with guidance from more experienced practitioners (teacher tutors), computer tutoring that is well structured in the absence of face-to-face tutoring (Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids), and providing students with genuine reasons to use literacy (Cumming, Jun, & Ramirez, 2010). The computer-based components of the program gives children access to learning mechanisms on days that tutorials are held and days they are not; therefore, with support from their parents and homebased staff, they can continue receiving monitored support that will be indicative of how their tutors should work with them on a more individualized level. Small Group Support Given that there are five cottages that house the children in the grades noted above, the goal is to have one tutor adopt a cottage and use the program to drive the instruction geared toward the needs of their particular children. By dividing these students into small groups, it allows for a 1:4 tutor to student ratio in addition to having house parents present to be guided on how to structure habits within the home that will sustain the work tutors are doing with their children. During their scheduled sessions, tutors will use student test data, anecdotal data collected by cottage house parents and classroom teachers, as well as data from the previous months session (which will be entered into the childs personal opportunity plan) to work with them in key areas. Data At the close of each month, tutors and potentially house parents will meet with the tutor coordinator to pull reports of student progress and overall reading growth as well as anecdotal records

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from house parents. Students will be asked to keep a reading log that will be updated daily indicating the books they have read, time allotted to reading, the number of pages, and a brief summary about their readings. Tutors will need to record the Lexile level of the books to ensure that they are a) aligned to the students current reading level and b) telling of growth made by the student as a result of the literacy program and intervention support. During this data analysis meeting, the tutors will serve as a focus group that will assess to what extent is the program meeting our goals, what students have made significant or expected growth and why, and what students have not and why. Based on the information gathered, if there is a need to adjust the design, program, and/or methods, the tutor coordinator will raise these concerns during our focus groups quarterly evaluation meetings addressed below. Staffing Nafeesha Irby will serve as the Program Coordinator for the G.E.M.S for Literacy program. She is a former Special Education high school teacher who entered the education field through the non-profit organization Teach For America. She worked for the organization as a teacher coach for grades K-12 and served teachers and students in Granville County for two years. Through her work, she became acquainted with the MHCO in hopes to help create an opportunity for newly recruited Teach For America teachers placed in this county to partner more with local community organizations. Currently, she is a graduate student in the Northeast Leadership Academy at North Carolina State University pursuing her Masters of School Administration. She will soon serve as a school administrator in Granville County. All tutors, including the tutor coordinator, will be recruited from current Teach For America teachers (corps members) who aspire to integrate themselves into the community more and serve the kids of the MHCO. These teachers have been recruited through one of the most rigorous teacher preparation programs in the nation and are typically graduates of the top of their class. Teach For America is a highly selective organization only accepting 10% of applicants. They have undergone intense training, typically outperform teachers who matriculate in the field through traditional lateral entry programs, and are committed to serve in their placement schools for at least two years (Bastian et al.,2010).

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IV. Evaluation Design & Methods The evaluation design and methods consists of several steps that will allow us to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. These processes include a data analysis of reports ran after each quarter to assess trends and analyze growth, developing comprehensive student profiles that indicate the ending point for their reading abilities and Lexile levels, qualitative survey analysis to capture experiences of stakeholders and participants of the program, and drafting of mid-year and end-year reports. To build off what is discussed in the monthly tutor meetings, every six to eight weeks, the program coordinator will host a meeting with the tutor coordinator and MHCOs administrator to discuss data after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters of implementation. It is at this meeting where a further analysis of the evaluation process is conducted. The tutor coordinator will arrive at the meeting with running records from the previous tutor meeting in addition to their discussed analysis of what the data reflects. Prior to this meeting, each tutor will be asked to complete and submit a student profile that outlines where the students started in reverence to their reading level, the dates and length of time of the that quarters meetings, the type of support provided, and any notes taken about the students performance. This will be completed for each child the tutor has worked with. Using this data, we can then begin to conduct case studies about the growth our students are or are not making. For instance, based on what we know, a 3rd grade student who scores below the 25th percentile of readers may read at a Lexile level of 330L, however, a 3rd grader who scores above the 75th percentile of readers may fall at a 700L. This means that this 3rd grade student can begin the G.E.M.S for Literacy program barely reading grade-level appropriate texts and end ready for 5th grade. If we see negative growth, we will be able to act accordingly. According to the Common Core State Standards for English, students leaving the 3rd grade are expected to read between a 520L and an 820L to be college and career ready by grade 12 (MetaMetrics, Inc, 2013). Currently, some of the entering fourth graders at the Home are not yet where they should have been leaving the third grade. Ultimately, this is the kind of

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growth we would like to see and will measure against for the kids we work with over the course of this two-year program. For a more qualitative measure, program surveys will be sent out three times throughout the year to monitor early, middle, and ending success and satisfaction. We will ask that students, volunteers, and house parents complete the surveys so that we hear the perspectives from all involved. We believe that a positive culture conducive to learning is equally important to academic gains and want to ensure that those we are serving and working with are proud to be a part of this effort. The surveys will ask questions such as, How often were you able to meet with your tutor? What are the goals you and your tutor set and have they been reached? Have you enjoyed your experience with your tutor? Why or Why not? What would you like to change and what would you like to stay the same? Similar questions will be asked to house parents and tutors to ensure that everyone is aware of the experiences of program particpantsparticipants. Based on the results of the above surveys, we can draft mid-year and end-year reports that are distributed to the Homes executive board, administration, funders, house-parents, classroom teachers, and tutors. These reports would contain information about the population of students we serve, number of tutorial sessions conducted to date, intervention and preventative measures taken to support children in literacy initiatives, and starting, mid, and end-point data about student growth. The end-year report will serve as a driving factor in how we create a foundation for success and future sustainability of the G.E.M.S for Literacy program moving forward.

V. Sustainability Plan

Careful steps have been taken to ensure that the G.E.M.S for Literacy program can be sustained over time. To start, we chose a literacy program that is designed to support teachers, parents, and other individuals with a non-education background in helping students increase literacy skills. Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids are computer-based programs that will be operated using refurbished computers from a local

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community organization. Software updates are automatically provided through the Learning A-Z Company and all technical support needs will be funded by the Home using their current tech team. Reading A-Z is comprised of direct instruction which can be given to the child by parent, student, or volunteer through the use of scripted and pre-planned lesson plans in addition to computer-facilitated components; whereas, Raz-Kids is primarily computer-based and provides a plethora of activities designed to challenge and track their reading, writing, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Running records can be pulled by the parent, tutor, or volunteer at any time to reveal how the child has performed both in the moment and over the course of time. Running records are automatically provided through the programs and can be viewed or printed for each child individually and for all children collectively without complication. During the training sessions, learning how to run reports of student data will be provided so that if at any time, a parent wants to pull data, they can do so with ease. Running records highlight areas of strength and weakness and can be used as a guide when communicating progress to schoolteachers and/or for the planning of direct or small-group instruction. In addition, our tutors, as mentioned in the staffing section, are beginning teachers affiliated with Teach For America. This non-profit organization has supplied Granville County with teachers for over 20 years. Every year, a cluster of teachers are brought into the county to teach in high need schools, many in which the students at MHCO attend. By having a guarantee pool of highly qualified, tutor candidates enter into the county and school each year, it increases our chances of still having community support. It is also our goal, that throughout time, we are able to include additional volunteers who have, in the past, inquired about assisting the Homes children to broaden our community collaboration. During the beginning phase of implementation, the training opportunity covering how to use both the Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids program is mandatory for all house-parents and extended to other homebased staff and volunteers that may serve as an educational support for the children. This is to certify that in the absence of tutors, may it be long-term or short-term; staff can effectively support their children as they strive to continuously enhance their literacy skills. Once again, we know that when parental

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involvement is present, it helps to create a culture conducive to learning, and in this case, literacy achievement both at home and in the school; another key component to the focus of our program. The literacy programs we plan to use cost approximately $80.00/year for a maximum of 36 student participants. If successful in our first two years, we will present to the Homes executive board, an opportunity to use funding currently allotted for educational experiences to purchase additional years of program licensing. We have been fortunate to receive an insurmountable amount of financial support from current donors that has been contributed to research-based initiatives for our children. With this in mind, after the first two years of implementation, problem-solving, evaluation, and evidenced student growth, it will be possible sustain the G.E.M.S for Literacy program at a scale still suitable for meeting the needs of the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.

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APPENDIX A: REFERENCES Bastian, K., Fortner, K., Henry, G., Kershaw, D., Purtell, K., Thompson, C., et al. (2010). Portal report: teacher preparation and student test scores in north carolina. Center Institute for Public Policy, 1-18. Retrieved from http://publicpolicy.unc.edu/research/Teacher_Portals_Teacher_Preparation_and_Student_Test_Scores _in_North_Carolina_2.pdf/view Cumming, A, Jun, S, & Ramirez, G. (2010). Tutoring adolescents in literacy: a meta-analysis. McGill Journal of Education, 45, 219-234. Dearing, E., Kreider, H., Simpkins, S., & Weiss, H.B. (2006). Family involvement in school and lowincome childrens literacy performance: Longitudinal associations between families within families. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 653-664. Epstein, J.L. (2001). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Herppich, S., Kurvers, J., Mc Elvany, N., & Van Steensel, R. (2011). How effective are family literacy programs?: results of a meta-analysis. American Educational Research Association & Sage Publications, 81, 69-96. Jeynes, W.H. (2005). Parental involvement and student achievement: A meta-analysis. Retrieved July 30, 2013 from University, Harvard Family Research Project. http://www.hfrp.org/publicationsresources/browse-our-publications/parental-involvement-and-student-achievement-a-meta-analysis MetaMetrics, Inc. (2013). The lexile framework for reading. Retrieved from http://lexile.com/aboutlexile/grade-equivalent/grade-equivalent-chart/ Olds, D.L., & Kitzman, H. (1993). Review of research on home visiting for pregnant women and parents of young children. Future of Children, 3, 53-92. Public Schools of North Carolina, D. O. E. (2012). NC school report cards. Retrieved from http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/servlet/srcICreatePDF?pSchCode=312&pLEACode=390&pYear=2 011-2012 Purcell-Gates, V. (2000). Family literacy. In M. L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research, 3, 853-870. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Reardon, S., Shores, K., Valentino, R. (2012). Patterns of literacy among U.S. students. The Future of Children, 22, 17-32. Snow, C.E., Burns, M.S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. (2008). The national center for public policy and higher education. Measuring Up: The State Report Card for Higher Education, Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/PDFS/ED503561.pdf

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APPENDIX B: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Nafeesha Janell Irby

3031 Jehossee Street, Apt 309, Raleigh, NC 27616 Phone: (w) 646.530.2888; (c) 704.804.2043 Email: njirby@ncsu.edu

EDUCATION Northeast Leadership Academy at North Carolina State University Master of School Administration North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass Communication Summa cum laude

Fall 2012-Present Raleigh, NC December 2008 Greensboro, NC

EXPERIENCE GRANVILLE COUNTY SCHOOLS August 2013- Present G.C. Hawley Middle School Creedmoor, NC Principal Intern Serve the students, faculty, and staff under the mentorship of the current school principal Assist principal with direct and indirect supervision of all personnel Assist wit the developing and implantation of policies, program, curriculum, and budget Provide instructional coaching and professional development to faculty Evaluate student progress and overall school-wide data to assist principal performance monitoring Develop and contribute to positive school environment with emphasis on teaching and learning Assist wit the coordination and handling of schedules Assist with defining and disseminating school discipline policies and procedures Facilitate organizational efficiency TEACH FOR AMERICA March 2012-July 2012 Summer Institute Tulsa, OK School Director, Hamilton Elementary School Closely monitor key factors at the school site by actively gathering and analyzing data from the school related to corps member proficiency, student achievement, and school culture Lead corps members and staff toward instructional outcomes by leading school-wide learning experiences, observing and coaching instructional staff, and guiding staff to provide effective differentiation based on corps member needs Ensure strong school operations by managing School Operations Managers execution of operations at the school site, based on the vision for school operations I have created Partner with principals and faculty advisors to build and maintain relationships that result in needed investment and support for our work at the school Create a culture of excellence founded on Teach For Americas core values, that builds a culture of respect, trust, and partnership between and among corps members and staff at your school Observe and coach individual corps members, curriculum specialist, and literacy specialist to their Visions of Excellence

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TEACH FOR AMERICA-EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA June 2011 to August 2013 Granville, Vance, & Warren Counties Durham, NC Manager, Teacher Leadership Development Coach, manage, and support 25 corps members in their leadership and instructional development in grades K-12 and all content areas Oversee the regional operations of corps member development in three rural counties in the ENC region Operate as the direct support for the Science content area for the region Coordinate and plan select All Corps Conferences Utilize data to track progress toward regional and cohort goals Build and maintain partnerships with counties and school-sites to perpetuate relationships acquired within the region Work amongst a program team of eight colleagues to strategically set goals and visions for the region to tackle educational inequities in ENC TEACH FOR AMERICA June 2011 to July 2011 Summer Institute Los Angeles, CA Corps Member Advisor Supported a group of eight corps members in high school setting Observed and coached corps members in their planning and classroom execution Provided feedback to corps members through the use of the Teaching As Leadership rubric, Academic Impact Model, and Observation-Debrief Cycle making direct connections to student and teacher actions and outcomes Lead group learning experiences and advisory sessions to provide instructional support and insight as well as differentiated support for corps members Collaborated with school-team to pinpoint significant gains, trends, and areas of improvement in corps members and team approaches Reviewed lesson plans to check for effective instructional practices within the Five-Step Lesson Plan Monitored and tracked progress of student performance using the Student Achievement Toolkit and Tracker

CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS August 2009 to June 2011 West Charlotte High School Charlotte, NC Special Education Teacher/Case Manager Draft student lessons and assessments Monitor and track student progress toward growth goals Execute curriculum-aligned lessons reflecting 21st century learning Manage a caseload of approximately 20 exceptional students Prepare Individualized Education Plans for EC students & conduct IEP meetings Differentiate lessons for student comprehension Provided staff within the Biology department with strategies to support students with special needs AWARDS Honors: Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, Alpha Chi Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society UNC in Washington Scholar Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholar

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APPENDIX C: BUDGET TWO YEAR BUDGET FOR MASONIC HOME FOR CHILDRENS G.E.M.S FOR LITERACY PROGRAM

Account Description

Overall Budget

Donated Budget

*Requested Budget

Program Coordinator

$13,000

$3,000

$10,000

Tutor Services

$9,840

$0

$9,840

Program Materials & Training

$3,323.80

$0

$3,323.80

T-Shirts Laptop Computers (Refurbished) Nutrition Services

$375 $600 $1,250

$0 $0

$375 $600

$950

$300

Direct Costs

$24,438.80

$0

$24,438.80

Indirect Costs @ 2%

$488.78

$0

$488.78

Total Costs *Above budget includes costs for two years

$24,927.58

$3,950

$24,927.58

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APPENDIX D: BUDGET JUSTIFICATION 2-Year Budget Narrative A. Personnel Name / Position

Nafeesha Irby, Program Coordinator

Computation
$25x 260 x 2 years

Cost
$10,000

Nafeesha Irby, Administrator at G.C. Hawley Middle School in Granville County, NC, will be responsible for overseeing the tutor coordinator, assessing program effectiveness through data evaluation, and ensuring the students are meeting outcomes and expectations of Literacy Program. The salary for Nafeesha Irby is calculated at $25 per hour times 5 hours per week times 52 weeks times two years. Given that this programs coordinator will not be her full-time role and due to the assistance of the tutor coordinator (noted below), she will, on average, designate five hours per week overseeing the weekly operations of the program. Of the hours required, 24 weeks ($3,000) will be donated time. There is not a need for fringe benefits. Personnel Total $10,000

B. Tutoring Services Tutors Computation

Tutor Coordinator Tutors

Computation
(1 volunteer coordinator for 10 months= 1 x $920 x 2 years) (5 x $800 x 2 years)

Cost
$1,840 $8,000

The program will be designed to support students who reside in a total of five (5) cottages. To ensure that we are adequately reaching a targeted group of students with enriched one-on-one support, each tutor will adopt a cottage and be assigned to no more than four (4) students to work with. Each tutor will be expected to dedicate four (4) hours per month providing literacy support to the students of their cottage for a total of 40 hours within a 10-month period. Therefore, the tutors are paid at a rate of $20/hour times 4 hours per month times 10 months. The tutors will carry the responsibility of using both the Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids program to support students with illiteracy prevention and intervention. The tutor coordinator will serve as a floater tutor working with students who need additional support, creating and monitoring tutor hours, and working with the Program Coordinator to ensure effectiveness of the program and structure. Thus, the tutor coordinator is paid at a rate of $25/hour times 4 hours per month times 10 months.

Contracts Total

$9,840

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C. Materials & Training Supply Items

Certified Training and Development Reading A-Z Program License Raz-Kids Program License

Computation
1 Training x $1,500 x 2 years 1 license x $161.90 (2 years) 1 license x $161.90 (2 years)

Cost
$3,000 $161.90 $161.90

Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids are programs designed by the curriculum delivery program, Learning A-Z. The Reading A-Z program itself covers all areas of the literacy spectrum including phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, leveled reading, and alphabet. These two programs in particular were designed to support students who are anywhere between the developmental reading stages to advanced. The cost for a two-year license for both components of the program runs at a rate of $161.90 and is designed to accommodate up to 36 students. Because we intend to reach a population smaller than 36, one license will suffice. Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids are both computer and teacher facilitated. Through a comprehensive program, students are able to receive support geared toward their reading level with running records of starting, mid, and endpoints, in addition to support from teachers who can skillfully help them develop a personalized plan that will drive their work. We intend to have all house parents and tutors professionally trained on these programs by a company representative. This will allow room for all stakeholders to have well-developed knowledge about how to best support the children they will work with and help to maintain sustainability in the absence of tutors.

Materials & Training Total D. T-Shirts Supply Items T-shirts for GEMS Computation (25 children x $15.00/shirt)

$3,323.80

Cost $375

The G.E.M.S program will require that children are removed from either their physical living space or from the Homes campus for matters such as field trips to the library and we find it extremely important for them to be unified in appearance. Additionally, we genuinely want the children to get excited about the program and about reading, so giving them the opportunity to build their identity around literacy will boost their morale. The T-Shirts will be ordered for the children and tutors if possible. They will have the front of the shirts will say G.E.M.S for Literacy, the back will have a graphic of stacked books, and the sleeve will have the initials of the Masnic Home, MHCO. These shirts can be worn on days the groups meet and must be worn when leaving campus for additional activities. The cost of the shirts plus shipping averages $15.00 per child. We will order additional shirts to prepare for the possibility of new students being admitted to the home within our 2 years of executing the program. Shirts Total $375

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E. Technology Resources Supply Items Refurbished Computers Computation 10 x $60 Cost $600

The added value of being able to purchase the licenses for both Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids is that both programs have a computer-based delivery component that allows room for children to engage in leveled reading and activities appropriate to their individualized growth plan and keeps record of their performance. The benefit of this surely serves great purpose during days in which tutors are not scheduled to visit the home and work one-on-one with their assigned children or in the absence of a house parents ability to work with all children in a differentiated manner. By purchasing refurbished laptop and/or desktop computers, we will be able to maximize the use of the program. These programs will not work successfully if the technology is not readily accessible to the children and their families. Technology Total F. Nutrition Services Food Purchases Food Items Snacks during Celebratory Nights Computation 3 x $50 x 2 years Cost $300 $600

Given the nature of the Home, tutorials will take place on the campus either in a designated space or in the cottages where the children reside with their house parents (2 adults). To ensure that tutorials are a collaborative effort, snacks will be provided to sustain student energy and increase parent involvement. There are 19 scheduled tutorial days. In addition, there are three nights during the year that have been set aside to celebrate the growth students have made in reading. Of the above needed food purchases, all snacks during tutorials will be provided by the home. This means that the total donated by the home will be 19 nights x $25/night x 2 years for a total of $950. We are only requesting funding for food purchases on the 3 celebratory nights per year. This breakdown consists of 3 celebratory nights x $50/night x 2 years for a total of $300. Nutrition Services Food Purchases

$300.00

Total Direct Costs G. Indirect Costs Description F&A Computation 2% x $24,438.80 Indirect Total

$24,438.80

Cost $488.78 $488.78

Total Costs

$24,927.58

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Budget Summary:

Budget Category A. Program Coordinator B. Tutor Services C. Program Materials & Training D. T-Shirts E. Laptop Computers (Refurbished) F. Nutrition Services Total Direct Costs G. Indirect Costs

Amount_ $10,000 $9,840 $3,323.80 $375 $600 $300 $24,438.80 $488.78

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS

$24,927.58

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APPENDIX E: LOGIC MODEL

Logic Model for Masonic Home for Children at Oxford: G.E.M.S for Literacy Program
GOAL: To significantly increase the literacy rates and Lexile reading levels by at least 1 year of growth of over 15, elementary-aged children living in substitute care, who demonstrate challenges in reading, writing and comprehension by providing prevention and intervention support GOAL: To establish a measurable and sustainable program that will support house parents, staff, and children in developing healthy and effective habits around literacy both in school and at home
INPUTS & ASSUMPTIONS Activities What we invest & Our beliefs INPUTS What we invest Local community members Teachers in Granville County House parents and staff at the Home Masonic Home Executive Board Children living in substitute care in grades 3-5 for year 1 of the program ASSUMPTIONS Our beliefs: Parental Support is a key factor to educational success The ability for a child to read and write is essential for them to participate as sound citizens of society Both parents and teachers must be clear and aligned on the academic needs of a child to best support them Expectations for outcomes and support must be explicit to ensure the child receives in-school and athome support Communication strengthens the outcomes of student success Educationally Motivating Signals Students need to feel supported through educational journey to produce high-impact results Intrinsic motivation comes through celebration of small and big wins SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable What we do Literacy Support for Students 1. Designate one day per month to provide literacy prevention and intervention support to children in grades 3-5 through the use of the comprehensive teacher and computer facilitated Reading A-Z Program 2. Use literacy promotion programs, Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids, to grow student reading levels to on grade level by monitoring their starting, midpoint, and ending levels 3. Designate a minimum of four intensive, scheduled, hours per month to literacy through the use of the reading programs and monitored support of tutors and house parents 4. Develop Personal Opportunity Plans for students based on data provided on Reading AZs running records data log 5. Invite a representative from the program s facility to train and work with house parents, staff, and tutors so that they are adequately prepared to use the Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids program Children will OUTPUTS Participation Who we reach Short Term Changes in knowledge/awareness, skills/abilities, and attitudes/aspirations Children will OUTCOMES Intermediate Changes in behavior Children, staff, and parents will Long Term Changes in conditions Together we should see

15 children (25% of the population) in

grades K-5 who reside at the home who are in need of intervention and prevention support in literacy

Experience academic growth in literacy and overall success in the classroom due to skills taught Feel confident in their abilities to meet academic outcomes Develop Specific, M easurable, A ttainable, Realistic, T imely goals for themselves as it relates to monitoring their personal progress and outcomes Demonstrate understanding of what it means to have an expansive pathway of opportunity through success in education/reading Clearly articulate their short and long-term goals as it relates to their academic trajectory

Approach reading with enthusiasm and excitement due to witnessed growth Set personal goals for children in literacy and put plans in place to track and reach those goals Devote at least 30 minutes per night to reading Demonstrate enhanced parental support and practices as it relates to child literacy Make literacy a focus in all of their planning and programming for their children Show a heightened sense or urgency around literacy prevention and intervention, thus, building a desire for more books to be brought into their home Experience a willingness from the community to become more involved in childhood literacy through volunteer work

100% of children in grades K-5 who reside at the home are reading on grade-level Continuous community support and involvement in working with the children who reside at the home Scheduling of both in-home and out-of-home activities grounded in literacy

15 of children in grades K-5 who reside at

the home who attend public schools in Granville County (G.C. Credle Elementary School, Mary Potter Middle School, J.F. Webb High School, and others); thus contributing to growth in school performance

20 of house parents who care for the

targeted group of students

Continuity of literacy-based programs and support

6 involved tutors who teach at the local

public schools and reside in the community

0% of children classified as below grade level in reading 100% positive outcomes and experiences for children 100% growth in reading test scores at school to ensure promotion to the next grade with an appropriate level of preparedness

Approach school with a renewed

sense of possibility

Have a desire to grow in their

academic abilities; specifically in literacy

Enjoy learning and having fun while

doing so

Develop organizational skills and

study habits that will increase their ability to read and write

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APPENDIX F: PROGRAM TIMELINE

Tasks & Month Week Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) 4 Literacy Program -- Meet and discuss plans with Home administrators and partners -- Order and request shipment of literacy program materials and technology devices -- Recruitment, selection, and screening of volunteers -- Inventory shipped items; program and connect all technology devices to network -- Coordinate professional development (PD)/training workshop with company representative -- Conduct daylong professional development of program purpose, use, and implementation -- Conduct introduction and overview of program to children who will particpate -- Conduct 20-week program for children in grades K-5 (2 scheduled meetings per month) -- Conduct program evaluation/Run reports (running records) -- Tutors update student profiles/feedback surveys are administered -- Focus group meets to conduct data analysis of program and chldren's progress -- Participate in 1st training support Webinar for volunteers and partners for further PD -- Organize growth of student reading abilities through formal/informal celebrations -- Mid-Year Report Tasks & Month Week Giving Educationally Motivating Signals (G.E.M.S) 4 Literacy Program, Cont'd. -- Conduct 20-week program for children in grades K-5 (2 scheduled meetings month) -- Conduct program evaluation/Run reports (running records) -- Tutors update student profiles/feedback surveys are administered -- Focus group meets to conduct data analysis of program and chldren's progress -- Organize growth of student reading abilities through formal/informal celebrations -- Participate in 2nd training support Webinar for volunteers and partners for further PD -- Particpate in 3rd training support Webinar for volunteers and partners for further PD -- End-of-Year report
27th: 1/2 Day Break

August 1 2 3 4 1

September 2 3 4 5 1

October 2 3 4 5 1

November 2 3 4 1

December 2 3 4 5 1 2

January 3 4 5

Holiday

4th: 1/2 Day

11th: 26-28: No Holiday School

19th: 1/2 Day

Holiday Holiday

1-2: No School

19th: 29th: 1/2 Holiday; Day Elem.

February 1 2 3 4 1 2

March 3 4 5 1 2
6th: No School; 9th: 1/2 Day

April 3
18th: Holiday

May 4 5 1 2 3 4 1 2

June 3 4 5 1 2

July 3 4 5

Break

Holiday

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