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«Back to all edWebinarsImproving Our Nation’s Literacy Report Card: A Roadmap for District and Program Leaders
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
Presented by Nicol Russell, Ed.D., Former Early Childhood Educator, Current Chief Academic Officer, Teaching Strategies; and Darcy Heath, Former Elementary Educator, Current Research Manager, Teaching Strategies
Sponsored by Teaching Strategies
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
In the 2024 Nation’s Report Card, the average reading score for the nation in fourth grade was two points lower compared to 2022, and five points lower compared to 2019.
The road to reading proficiency begins long before fourth grade, and investing in research- and evidence-based comprehensive literacy supports for preschool and pre-kindergarten classrooms can help build the foundational literacy skills that children need to succeed as readers—and learners—throughout school and life.
In this edWebinar, early childhood literacy experts from Teaching Strategies will:
- Examine the recent findings around fourth-grade literacy from The Nation’s Report Card
- Explore research that demonstrates the need to foster reading skills in preschool through evidence-based, age-appropriate curricula
- Share a roadmap for supporting reading skills from a young age with Science-of-Reading-based curricula, professional development for teachers and administrators, ongoing formative assessment, and family support resources
This edWebinar will be of interest to PreK school and district leaders. The session will be followed by a live Q&A.
About the Presenters
Dr. Nicol Russell is the Chief Academic Officer for Teaching Strategies, where she oversees the development of effective implementation and change management solutions for school administrators and early childhood educators who leverage their groundbreaking products. Previously, Dr. Russell has worked as an early childhood teacher, school administrator, Head Start state collaboration director, and state-level administrator for the Arizona Department of Education. Her research interests include studying the implementation practices of early learning programs and considering ways to create more equitable opportunities for all children and educators. Dr. Russell holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in early childhood and early childhood special education and a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership.
Darcy Heath currently serves as the Research Manager at Teaching Strategies. In this role, she oversees the development and management of multifaceted research projects that directly inform the design and implementation of early learning products. Throughout her work in various roles, from classroom teaching to training and research management, Darcy has always been guided by a deep commitment to reducing disparities in access to quality education for children from diverse backgrounds. Darcy’s academic background includes a Master of Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, both from Northern Arizona University. She also holds two advanced certifications in instructional development and design from Oregon State University.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Join the Be a Literacy Hero community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Teaching Strategies is the leading provider of early childhood curriculum, assessment, professional development, and family engagement solutions. Its products, including the most widely used curriculum and assessment solutions, The Creative Curriculum® and GOLD®, are found in over 270,000 classrooms and more than 80 countries around the world and reach over 4 million children each year. A trusted partner and advocate for the early education community for 45 years, today Teaching Strategies connects teachers, children, and families to inspired teaching and learning experiences, insightful data, stronger family partnerships, and professional learning through the leading early learning platform and resources.
