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Jefferson County Public Schools
Louisville, Kentucky
With more than 97,000 students attending 150 schools, Jefferson
County Public Schools (JCPS) is the 28th largest school district in
the United States. The 90 elementary schools in the district
represent an extremely diverse student population, with all of the
strengths and challenges one would expect in such an urban setting.
Reading Recovery has played a key role in meeting the needs of many
of these children for over 20 years.
The first Reading Recovery site in Kentucky was established in
Louisville in 1988–1989 when two primary teachers, Judy Embry and
Joyce Cecil, were selected for teacher leader training at The Ohio
State University. The following year, two additional teachers—Glynda
Kelso and Kathy Geile—were trained as teacher leaders at Ohio State.
This team of teacher leaders trained over 40 Reading Recovery
teachers during the 1990–1991 school year, laying a foundation of
strong support that would sustain the intervention during
challenging times in the future.
Twenty-one years later, Reading Recovery maintains a strong
presence in JCPS elementary schools, as well as the state of
Kentucky. Locally, 20 Reading Recovery positions have been funded
through the Every1Reads initiative, a partnership between JCPS and
local businesses. In addition, the statewide Read to Achieve grant
program, established by the state legislature in 2005, has funded
several Reading Recovery teacher positions locally and across the
state. These local, state, and federal funds have secured positions
for a 69 teachers districtwide in 50 schools. The district also
supports two Reading Recovery training sites and three teacher
leaders.
In today’s economic climate, it is unusual to find an initiative
with the staying power of Reading Recovery. JCPS district
administrators appreciate the data supporting the effectiveness of
the Reading Recovery intervention, as well as the professional
development model utilized in the initial training—and ongoing
training—of Reading Recovery teachers. However, the most important
reason why can be summed up by a parent of a Reading Recovery child:
“I believe Reading Recovery is priceless…I believe my child would
have given up on reading if it hadn’t been for his wonderful teacher
in Reading Recovery.”
Reading Recovery teacher Debbie
Crouch at
Okolona Elementary records progress in
DeVaughn's reading using a running record.
Maria shares a book with Reading
Recovery
teacher Jennifer Jones at Slaughter Elementary.
Cluster visits like this one at
Slaughter Elementary
allow Reading Recovery colleagues to observe
lessons and issues of professional practice.
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