Wisconsin Reads Launches inaugural cohort
Wisconsin Reads, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming literacy outcomes for elementary school children in Milwaukee, is proud to announce its launch. With only 12% of third graders currently reading at grade level, Wisconsin Reads seeks to shift the literacy landscape by partnering with five elementary schools. The inaugural cohort includes five schools in Milwaukee.
Project Overview
Wisconsin Reads aims to have 90% of students reading at grade level by the end of third grade. In a city where 14,813 out of 26,415 students are reading at the lowest levels, our focus is on providing intensive support to elevate literacy outcomes.
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Wisconsin Reads will offer:
Professional Development and Leadership Coaching: School leaders will receive 1:1 coaching and training to enhance their instructional leadership.
High Dosage 1:1 Tutoring: Each school will receive 40 tutoring seats, providing high impact 1:1 tutoring to students, staffed by certified teachers.
Teacher Professional Development: Comprehensive training to align classroom instruction with the Science of Reading.
Transforming Literacy through Leadership Development
The program emphasizes the importance of strong leadership in achieving literacy success. School leaders will be equipped with practical tools and strategies to create systems that support high-quality literacy instruction. This initiative will:
Develop a cohort of leaders passionate about literacy.
Align literacy instruction with the Science of Reading.
Prepare leaders to manage data cycles, observe classrooms, and coach teachers effectively.
High-Impact 1:1 Tutoring
Wisconsin Reads recognizes that 1:1 high dosage tutoring is the most high leverage reading intervention available. 40 students in each school will receive 30-minute tutoring sessions, three times per week, totaling 83-87 sessions over 35 weeks. This model, proven successful in previous OpenLiteracy initiatives, aims to move 85% of participating students from BASIC to PROFICIENT on Milwaukee’s Forward exam.
Partnerships
Wisconsin Reads is a collaborative effort between OpenLiteracy and Kinser Consulting, LLC. OpenLiteracy, founded in 2013, specializes in transforming literacy outcomes through high-quality instructional materials and tutoring solutions. Kinser Consulting, LLC, advocates for excellent education for every child, supporting school leaders and educators in establishing systems that enhance student success.
About OpenLiteracy
OpenLiteracy, founded in 2013, is a results-driven virtual tutoring company specializing in literacy instruction. Committed to transforming literacy outcomes across the United States, OpenLiteracy partners with schools to provide experienced, certified teachers for 1:1 virtual tutoring using OpenLIteracy’s systematic and sequential tutoring curriculum. OpenLiteracy’s pilot studies demonstrated that students could make 1 year of growth in literacy in just 17 weeks of instruction; outcomes were stronger if attendance was over 85%.
For more details, visit openliteracy.com
About Kinser Consulting, LLC
Kinser Consulting, LLC, led by Brittany Kinser, is dedicated to supporting school leaders and educators in establishing systems that create excellent schools for every child. Through practical and data driven consulting, Kinser Consulting provides guidance and resources to enhance school leadership, develop data-driven systems, and ensure high leverage instructional practices drive instructional change.
