Launching a “Leaning Into Literacy” initiative

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Education is excited to announce the launch of its new Leaning Into Literacy initiative, which aims to advance reading skills among New Hampshire youth. 

“Encouraging children to have a healthy passion for reading will help them excel in school, support other areas of their learning and set them up for future success,” said Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education. “Strong literacy skills are vital for children, and are skills that are applicable throughout their entire lifetimes.”

Although New Hampshire ranks high among students in the United States for reading proficiency on the Nation’s Report Card, there are still about 51 percent of fourth-grade students in the state that are not reading proficiently.

“A primary goal of the Leaning Into Literacy initiative is to train 4,500 individuals in the first year and 4,500 more individuals in the second year to help expand literacy training and boost the level of literacy support throughout the Granite State,” explained Edelblut.  

NHDOE’s Division of Learner Support is now seeking competitive proposals from qualified vendors for capacity building literacy training for adults engaged in raising, working with or teaching New Hampshire children to be successful readers – including parents, guardians, certified educators, literacy coaches, curriculum coordinators, school administrators, and reading and writing specialists.

“By building knowledge of the Science of Reading among educators, parents, and caregivers, the Department aims to support literacy recovery needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said McKenzie Snow, director of the division of learner support. “Given the vast majority of educators in New Hampshire classrooms were certified before the Department required demonstrated knowledge of the Science of Reading, the Department will also provide substantial stipends to certified educators who complete the training and pass the corresponding Foundations of Reading exam.”

The purpose of these trainings is to increase capacity for providing and overseeing reading instruction and structured literacy based on the science of how children learn to read. The ultimate objective of this training is to create improved student outcomes and overall academic achievement through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties, and to identify pupils who struggle to read. 

For more information on NHDOE’s Leaning Into Literacy request for proposal, visit the RFP. 

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