State Supt. Barresi Thanks Legislators for Support of
 Instructional Coaches

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 2, 2013) –State Superintendent Janet Barresi on Tuesday thanked State Senators Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, and Jim Halligan, R-Stillwater, and State Representatives Scott Martin, R-Norman, and Lee Denney, R-Cushing, for their support of the State Department of Education’s REAC3H Coaches.

The 60 professional educators – each assigned to one of 30 regions throughout the state – have been assisting Oklahoma schools with the implementation of new education reforms such as third-grade reading sufficiency and the transition to Oklahoma C3 Academic Standards.

“We’ve heard from many of our schools that these coaches are providing invaluable resources for classroom teachers who are helping students in early grades learn to read,” Rep. Scott Martin said. “The support of our fellow legislators means these educators can continue providing these important job-embedded resources."

Jolley said he too has heard from constituents that the coaches are helping provide needed professional development for teachers as well as resources for entire school districts.

“These teachers are working in districts near where they live,” Jolley said, “so they are familiar with the unique challenges of the school districts they serve. They are not only supporting teachers in helping children read on grade level, they are providing necessary support as districts prepare for new academic standards.”

The coaches come one week a month to receive intensive training at the State Department of Education and then disperse throughout the state to help train classroom teachers in the foundations for reading and the transition to Oklahoma C3 Academic Standards.

Thirty school districts agreed to employ two of the coaches. The coaches are housed at Career Technology Centers in their home region. Federal Education Jobs funds from the U.S. Department of Education have been awarded to 30 Oklahoma school districts as a grant to offset the cost of salaries plus benefits of the 60 coaches, a total of about $4.1 million.

REAC3H Coaches communicate with districts in their regions to offer before-, during and after-school training based on best times and dates available for teachers, substitutes and administrators. The coaches also offer training to career technology teachers and higher education instructors.

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