Growing Readers

Growing Readers is a K-3 literacy professional learning grant designed and implemented through Georgia's 16 Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) and administered through GOSA and the Georgia Department of Education. Growing Readers provides consistent and high-quality professional learning to teachers on effective reading instruction to help more children read at grade level by the end of third grade. Growing Readers is a part of GOSA’s goal to invest in universal RESA initiatives that ensure all regions in Georgia are receiving access to high-quality, replicable professional learning in effective instruction.

Growing Readers Overview

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All of Georgia’s 16 RESAs identified at least one reading specialist to provide professional learning to three to five schools—eight teachers per school, two teacher per grade level (K-3rd)—in his/her RESA. Growing Readers impact during the 2021-2022 school year: 99 schools in all 16 RESAs; 793 teachers, and 12,233 students. Growing Readers is part of GOSA’s goal to invest in universal RESA initiatives that ensure all regions in Georgia are receiving high-quality, replicable professional learning, and this initiative directly impacts student success in reading in grades K-3.

The findings outlined in the most recent evaluation indicate that the RESAs are successfully collaborating and delivering consistent, effective professional learning in K-3 literacy instruction to teachers and Candidates. The data also indicate that the RESA Certification Specialists have effectively trained the new Candidates to deliver the same caliber of coaching to their teachers. As a result of Growing Readers, teachers are changing their reading instructional practices to incorporate new strategies such as conferencing with students.

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Growing Readers will continue its State Certification Project expansion during the 2022-2023 school year. Candidates will continue to receive extensive training on coaching to increase students’ literacy levels. RESA specialists will work with school districts in the fall and provide either face-to-face, virtual, or hybrid professional learning sessions to teachers and Candidates.

This is the current map showing which Georgia School Districts have the Growing Readers program in their schools: