Unlocking Reading Success: Milwaukee Schools Take a Closer Look

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has been on a journey to improve reading skills among students. The district has been trying to use the science of reading (SOR), but it hasn't been easy. James Ferguson, a school board director, wanted to know why. He turned to Tina Owen-Moore, the district's board clerk, who has a lot of experience with SOR. She used to be his English teacher in eighth grade. Ferguson and another board director, Henry Leonard, visited Whitewater schools to see how they were using SOR. They were impressed. The schools in Whitewater had a lot of success with SOR, especially with younger students. More than 80% of the staff agreed to use it. The district saw a big improvement in reading levels. In the first year, the percentage of students reading at or above grade level doubled.Ferguson saw how SOR was being used in classrooms. He thought it wasn't as hard to implement as he expected. He believed that MPS could do it too if they removed some of the red tape. But MPS has had some challenges. There has been a lot of turnover in leadership. The new superintendent, Brenda Cassellius, had to start from scratch. Gabriela Jiménez, the academic superintendent, pointed out that SOR is more than just phonics. It's about understanding language and writing too. She said that students need to understand similes, metaphors, and other language skills. But the existing SOR program in MPS didn't have all these parts. Teachers felt overwhelmed with all the changes. The district held training sessions for teachers and principals. Most teachers found the workshops helpful. They were able to collaborate with colleagues. But not everyone was happy. Some found the directions confusing. The district needs to win over these educators.