December 2023
Annually, I choose a guiding word for the year. In 2023, my chosen word was "act," which means to take action or do something. Despite my tendency to focus on planning, I dedicated the year to not only devising plans but also executing them.
As I reflect on the past year, it is gratifying to recognize a number ways in which I acted upon new opportunities.
In the remaining weeks of December, I plan to spread kindness through various acts. A curated calendar of December kindness activities is available at actionforhappiness.org for those who wish to join me in this endeavor. Additionally, you will find announcements below with opportunities to engage in a variety of literacy activities.
As the year draws to a close, I am still pondering my word for 2024. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, I encourage you to share them on the #ELAOK Elementary Facebook page or reach out via email at sharon.morgan@sde.ok.gov.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a restful winter break. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the meaningful contributions you make in your classrooms and schools.
Warm regards,
Sharon Morgan
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) and Cognia will convene a committee of educators to participate in a passage review and bias meeting to prepare for the 2025 OSTP assessment. The purpose of this meeting is to review the new passages being developed for the upcoming assessment year and ensure they meet the standards and expectations of the OSTP.
The meeting dates are scheduled for February 5, 2024, for grades 3-5, and February 6, 2024, for grades 6-8. Meetings will be held virtually from approximately 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (You can join in your pajamas!)
Your input is valued, and we hope you will apply to participate in this step in the development of the ELA Assessment. If you are interested in applying to attend this meeting, please complete the application in the Google form linked below. Spots are limited.
Selected committee members not on contract will receive an honorarium of $150 per day. Selected committee members on contract will receive substitute reimbursement. Details on how to submit your information for either of these options will be emailed to all selected committee members.
https://forms.gle/bUwTYtr6JwaV8UVe7
In the spring of 2024, the Oklahoma State Testing Program (OSTP) will be fully aligned with the 2021 Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts (OAS-ELA). The ELA framework has resources on understanding and implementing the standards with fidelity.
The Office of Assessments has updated the Test and Items Specifications (TIS) documents for schools. The newly updated TIS documents define the content and format of the assessment and the assessment items and indicate the alignment of items with the Oklahoma Academic Standards. The documents also include sample passages and test items. You can find them here and linked below by grade level.
If you have questions about the OSTP, contact Alyssa Tyra, Project Manager for ELA Assessments, at alyssa.tyra@sde.ok.gov.
In the fall of 2022, 16 Oklahoma educators came together to update the ELA framework. The framework writers updated the proficiency levels and created new writing resources and Universal Design for Learning pages. Learn more about one of the ELA framework writers below.
Misty Eidson is the Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction for Mustang Public Schools
What parts of the ELA framework did you help to develop? I helped with the development of the Objective Analysis, Literacy Progressions, Proficiency Levels, Universal Design for Learning, and Writing Resources for the early childhood grades.
How do you use the ELA framework in your classroom, school, or district? We use the framework to help teachers in Mustang better understand and unpack the standards. The objective analysis for each objective helps us to determine what tier 1 instruction should look like through the teacher actions, what proficiency should look like through the student actions, and what we should do when students are not showing understanding through the recommendations. We also rely heavily on the writing resources, especially the checklists.
What advice would you give teachers about using the ELA framework? The frameworks are invaluable and a huge time saver. You do not have to spend extra time hunting for resources when these are vetted, aligned to our standards, and readily available. Have them open when lesson planning. Spend time looking at the teacher recommendations in order to strengthen tier 1 teaching for each objective. Use the recommendations in small or flex groups in order to fill gaps in understanding of specific objectives.
What is a favorite literacy strategy that you would like to share with Oklahoma teachers? It's so hard to choose just one! One of my favorite comprehension strategies to use with upper elementary is reciprocal teaching. Reading Rockets has everything you need to dive into this strategy.
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The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is excited to offer the Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction Communities of Practice for up to 200 educators as an extension of the Oklahoma Science of Reading Academies. Those who participate will complete a 5-month science of reading course with live facilitated sessions. Oklahoma's HEROES Literacy Instructional Team will lead the live sessions. Upon course completion, participants will receive a micro-credentialing badge for early literacy and a $600 stipend.
Anyone interested in registering for the Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction Communities of Practice can sign up here.
Registration will close on December 15th, 2023, and coursework will begin in December 2023, ending in April 2024. For more information please refer to this FAQ document.
Each year the Oklahoma State Department of Education completes a report on the Reading Sufficiency Act for the Oklahoma Legislature. Data from this report can be used to determine what additional legislation might be needed.
For one section of this report, we need the help of Oklahoma teachers and administrators. If you work with students in any grades between kindergarten and 3rd grade, please take a few minutes and complete the survey at this link. It is completely anonymous and will take approximately 15 minutes.
The survey will be open until the close of business on December 13.
The 2024 Write To Win Contest, sponsored by the Oklahoma Writing Project, is open to all Oklahoma students and their teachers. Genres include poetry, sentence, descriptive paragraph, flash fiction, personal narrative, short story, essay, writing across the curriculum, and comic. Contest deadline is January 16, 2024. There is no entry fee. Winners will be honored at a conference and celebration in April, and their writing will be published in the 2024 Anthology of Winning Writing by Oklahoma Students and Teachers. See more details including word limits and submission guidelines on the contest webpage.
Contact owpwritingcontest@gmail.com for more information.
The 2024 celebration of reading and early literacy will take place at the Oklahoma City Zoo on April 9, 2024. The theme, “Expedition Reading,” is inspired by the book, The Forgetful Elephant by Hinton resident, author, and illustrator Kylan Mogg.
All Oklahoma schools are invited to participate in Read Across Oklahoma virtually, and a limited number of kindergarten classes will be invited as special guests to the live event. As special guests, classes will receive paid admission to the zoo where children will participate in a variety of activity stations, hear the author read his book, and visit the animal exhibits.
Additionally, each child will receive a copy of The Forgetful Elephant prior to the event so they are familiar with the story. All this is made possible thanks to the generosity of many private and public sponsors. See additional information here.
Schools interested in applying for kindergarten classes to attend should submit the application by January 11. Find out how to apply at Oklahoma.gov/Libraries/Read
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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails books to children every month, from birth through their fifth birthday, at no cost to families. The Imagination Library program was developed based on numerous studies demonstrating that children with access to books in their homes develop early literacy skills, contributing to school readiness and success throughout life.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now available in 350 communities across Oklahoma! This program provides free books monthly to children from birth to their fifth birthday to help families prepare their children for school.
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To celebrate Imagination Library and Dolly Parton's birthday, Oklahoma will have Dolly Day on January 19, 2024. See here for additional information.
Ways to Participate:
1. Local Businesses - Share this flier with local businesses and organizations in your community and see how they can contribute to their local Imagination Library partner.
2. Individual Donors - Find individual donors who are able to donate to the local Imagination Library.
3. Schools and Teachers - Imagination Library is about promoting the love of reading in young children. Do something special at your school to promote reading with young children. For example:
- Have older students read to younger students.
- Partner with your local library to learn about the programs they offer.
- Invite family members or community leaders to read to students.
Share this information about Dolly Day in your community.
To determine if your school is in a sponsored area, consult the Existing Affiliates table on the following page: https://sde.ok.gov/imagination-library-affiliates.
Here is the registration link to share with families to get enrolled: https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/
To find ways to support Imagination Library and Dolly Day, please contact program director Laura Sikes at laura.sikes@sde.ok.gov.
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Join members of the Oklahoma State Department of Education's elementary education team to learn more about how using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can make learning experiences accessible and appropriate for all learners. You can register to attend one of these virtual sessions by using the links below:
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The OSDE has created a centralized Elementary Education resource directly linked to content area standards, frameworks, and family guides for each grade level. The online resource streamlines access to materials, making it easier for elementary educators to locate relevant content across various disciplines in one convenient location. You can access this resource through the OSDE Connect catalog, using the search term: Elementary Education (see image below).
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Karen.Leonard@sde.ok.gov.
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The OSDE is seeking community volunteers to provide literacy tutoring to elementary students in small group settings – 1 adult to 3-5 students.
This is an amazing opportunity to support your community, grow relationships with your local school district, and help a child learn to read. If you are interested in getting involved, please sign up here.
For questions, email tutoring@sde.ok.gov
Beginning January 2024, the OSDE will launch a high dosage tutoring program that pays teachers $50 per hour and includes growth incentives. Our focus for this program is on 4th grade students at low-performing elementary school sites, including sites with a school improvement designation. This program will last 15 weeks and provide expert level tutoring for students from highly trained and experienced teachers.
If you are a current teacher and would like to apply, please click here.
Applicants must be a current or retired certified teacher to qualify.
For questions, email tutoring@sde.ok.gov
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