Readiness to Learn
Readiness to Learn (RTL), administered by OSPI,
has 27 projects statewide. Projects work to reduce social and
emotional barriers to learning for children and families by linking
school with community based resources.
Objectives:
- Increase family engagement
through expanding the leadership capacity of parents
- Reduce social and emotional
barriers to learning for identified kindergarten
students
- Support best kindergarten
transition practices, collaborating with other district and City
initiatives in this area.
The Seattle RTL
project:
- Strengthens family involvement in their
children's education by training parents to be leaders in their
schools. These Parent Leaders increase their skills and knowledge
about how children learn, advocacy, how to navigate schools
successfully, cross cultural communication, and child development
and share this information with other parents. They are hourly
district employees.
- Provides information, early intervention and
skills support to students, especially kindergarteners, who need
extra practice in personal and interpersonal skills
management.
- Achieves results: students served show clear
academic and social/emotional gains.
Funding &
Partnerships:
RTL receives $149,595, annually, from the Office
of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The grant must be
renewed every two years. To maximize its scope, RTL collaborates
with four programs/projects within the Support Prevention and
Intervention Department: Health Education, the Family Support
Worker Program, the Family and Community Partnerships Project and
Title I. These partners help fund three positions and the salaries
of the Parent Leaders. Program managers all provide in-kind
support. A Readiness to Learn Consortium, composed of parents,
community representatives, school district staff and community
based organizations also provides support and guidance to the
project.
Goals for
2008-2009:
- Identify and train an additional 15 Parent
Leaders at 8 high-need project schools and 4 FSW Hub schools. We
will meet or exceed the goal of 24 Parent Leaders by June
2009.
- Provide group services, supporting
social/emotional skill development, to 20 identified
kindergarteners to increase their ability to positively participate
and progress academically in the classroom setting.
- Support the Mother Read/Father Read family
literacy project at Cooper Elementary School and provide the Great
Body Shop curricula for students.
- Support efforts at project schools to develop
effective kindergarten transition practices for entering
kindergarten students and families and collaborate with district
and community efforts in this arena.
Program
Components:
- Support for Early Start kindergarten
transition programs: Support project schools in utilizing best
practices for kindergarten transition such as: outreach to parents,
connection to other parents, information about supporting their
children at school, identification of student and family needs and
orientation to the school building and routines.
- The Great Body Shop: RTL helps Health
Education purchase the board adopted health education curriculum
for 480 students.
- Training Parent Leaders: Project and Hub
schools identify parents who have natural leadership skills and
want to connect with others--particularly parents who may have
experienced cultural or language barriers in connecting with the
school and getting involved. Training is provided by RTL/FSW staff
and other Parent Leaders who have chosen to be trainers. Training
includes cross cultural communication and leadership skills and
best practices in family engagement. Parents are hired as hourly
employees and paid for their training and service time. Training is
aligned with district policy and practices for family and community
engagement. 24 Parent Leaders will be active by March
'09.
- Social skills practice groups "Learning
Circles": Very early intervention/prevention for teacher
identified Kindergarten students who need support in practicing
personal and interpersonal skills. Pull-out sessions are provided
two times per week by RTL staff and Health Educators.
More information
about Family Involvement in Seattle Public Schools
Program
Contact:
Sally
Telzrow
Program Coordinator
Readiness to Learn
206-252-0784
stelzrow@seattleschools.org
