West Springfield, MA – A local legislator and several school administrators convened today at the Cowing School in West Springfield to learn more about the work being done at the Reading Recovery Training Site located there.

Senator Jim Welch and W. Springfield Superintendent Mike Richard joined a group of area principals and instructional leaders to observe a Reading Recovery student lesson, and heard about the powerful work that teachers trained in the intervention are doing to ensure that the most at-risk young literacy learners get off to a strong start. The program focuses on first graders in the lowest 20% of reading readiness among their peers.

The event was hosted by the Collaborative for Educational Services’ Laurel Dickey, Early Literacy Specialist and Teacher Leader for the site.

Reading Recovery is a nationally recognized, evidence-based literacy intervention for children who are at risk for reading difficulties. Reading Recovery plays a vital role in Massachusetts public schools, and state funding for the program, which has experienced severe cuts since the recession, makes implementation of this early literacy intervention possible.
Following the student lesson, the legislators, teachers, and school administrators will share their thoughts regarding the critical role that Reading Recovery plays as a safety net for children at the first grade level who struggle with reading skills that are critical to skills development.

In 2017, the Collaborative for Educational Services will be completing its 25th year of training Reading Recovery teachers in Massachusetts.

The FY18 budget proposed by the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee has recommended dedicated funding for Reading Recovery. Massachusetts Reading Recovery leaders are urging that funding for this program in line item 7010-0033 be restored to at least $300,000 for FY18.