PARCA’s Annual Forum on March 11, 2022, focused on efforts to improve math and reading education instruction for students in Alabama and Mississippi. The program featured the Superintendents of Education for Alabama and Mississippi, with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey delivering the keynote address.
Reading and Math in Alabama: The Data
Presentation by Ryan Hankins PARCA Executive Director
Literacy: Our Path Forward
Video of literacy presentation and panel
Presentation by Cassandra Wheeler, Voyager Sopris/Lexia Learning and Laura Woolf, Voyager Sopris/Lexia
What About Math?
Video of the Mathematics presentation and panel
Presentation by Steve Leinwand, American Institutes for Research
Why School Mathematics in the 21st Century is Different — an explanation of why mathematics education needs to change.
A Vision of Effective Teaching and Learning of Mathematics — A description of what math education should be and how to bring it about.
Bridging for Math Strength — Online bank of math education resources for teachers and leads developed by the Virginia Department of Education and George Mason University.
Bed Time Math — free resource for parents offering ideas on how to incorporate math into everyday interactions with children.
Superintendents’ Conversation
Video of discussion between Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent of Education, and Dr. Carey Wright, Mississippi State Superintendent of Education
Albert P. Brewer Legacy Lunch
Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama
Video of introductory remarks and governor’s address
Additional Background Material
Literacy
Mississippi Resources
Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act: An Inside Look, a study of Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) with input from the Mississippi Department of Education and teachers around the state. A study by The Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd).
Strong Readers, Strong Leaders, a bank of grade-level-appropriate resources developed for parents and community leaders to help teach children to read. Part of a public awareness campaign to promote reading.
Alabama Reading Initiative
Alabama Literacy Act Implementation Guide
The Alabama Family Guide for Student Reading Success
Math
Alabama Math Science and Technology Initiative
Family Guide for ACAP Success: Elementary School Math
Additional Education-related Resources
The Alabama Education Lab by al.com, and its weekly newsletter, Ed Chat.
Forging Alabama’s Future: Improving Educational Attainment and Workforce Development, Business Education Alliance report on strategic investments to improve educational attainment and workforce quality and supply.
The Alabama Literacy Alliance, a network of literacy advocacy organizations and service providers from across the state.
A+ Education Partnership, latest news from the educational improvement advocacy group.