The foundation, which provides funding for staff development and teacher recruiting, sought materials to help teachers with reading in classrooms. The toolboxes are containers resembling their namesake. The teachers also will receive a CD-ROM with reading models and assessments, or tests, to pinpoint student reading weaknesses. Last week, the agency sponsored its first reading academy at the University of Florida with 212 teachers and 22 administrators from its member districts. Alabama initiated its highly successful reading program three years ago.
Every child is at grade level.
She said other Florida districts attending the training were Volusia, Alachua and Suwanee counties and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. Valentine said the training is only for schools ready to commit their time to the reading academy. Nationally and statewide, literacy has become an issue for educators. Wright said 61 percent of the state eighth-graders and 71 percent of 10th graders scored in the same low categories in reading.