Literacy Institute

Use of assessment data to drive instructional decision-making has been shown to lead to significant improvements in students’ academic performance. However, effectively interpreting and applying data to inform instruction can be challenging. This session will highlight various sources of assessment data relevant to classroom instruction. Dr. Toste will introduce strategies for analyzing data to identify student strengths and areas for growth and provide guidance on how to connect data insights to instructional planning. Emphasis will be placed on differentiating instruction to meet students’ diverse learning needs, ensuring that data-driven decisions lead to meaningful and targeted support.

Learn the why, what, and how of supporting reading comprehension through text sets. What is a text set you might ask? A text set is a curated collection of materials, typically texts, that are focused around a specific topic, theme, or question. It's a way to deepen student understanding and build knowledge in a particular area by exposing them to a variety of perspectives and formats.

How can schools effectively implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that aligns with research-based practices? This session provides a local example of how one school successfully developed and implemented an MTSS framework that strengthens core instruction, provides targeted interventions, and leverages data-driven decision-making to improve literacy outcomes for all students.

Participants will explore:

Essential components and core principles of an effective MTSS model
How to align instructional practices and intervention selections based on science
Tiered continuums of quality supplemental interventions & supports
Lessons learned, challenges overcome, and best practices for sustainable change

This session is designed for educators, administrators, and instructional leaders seeking actionable strategies to bridge the research-to-practice gap and create a structured, responsive, and equitable reading support system in their schools.