Lexia® Learning and Voyager Sopris Learning® today announced three awardees and three finalists of the first-ever “Dr. Louisa Moats Award for Excellence Implementing the Science of Reading.” The award celebrates schools and districts for their excellence using the science of reading and LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), a professional learning solution that provides K-5 educators with the knowledge to be literacy and language experts.
Cullman City Primary School in Alabama is the grand prize awardee and will receive a $5,000 cash prize. The first runner-up, Enid Public Schools in Oklahoma, will be awarded $2,000. The second runner-up, Cedar Rapids Community School District in Iowa, will get a $1,000 prize. All three awardees will also receive a handmade ‘M’ trophy engraved with their school name, a certificate of award signed by Dr. Louisa Moats, 30 LETRS Champion T-shirts, and 30 LETRS Champion journals.
In addition, the three finalists for the award are: Grand Island Public Schools in Nebraska, Hancock Place Elementary School in Lemay, Missouri, and East Stroudsburg Area School District in Pennsylvania.
All of the awardees and finalists were chosen from nominations submitted by educators from across the United States. Entrants were asked to submit video or written answers to four key areas of the award criteria, including how LETRS has transformed the applicant’s literacy teaching strategies and instruction.
The award is named in honor of internationally recognized literacy expert, Dr. Louisa Moats. Moats has been a leader in the nationwide effort to revolutionize literacy education and align it with reading science. Her research and writings on the importance of teacher education in language and reading have inspired a generation of education leaders, teachers, and students. She is the originator and, now, co-author of LETRS, the landmark evidence-based professional learning that prepares educators for the challenging work of teaching literacy.
“It is a tremendous honor to recognize the outstanding work of educators from these six schools and districts. In addition to demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the idea that almost all kids can learn to read, each winner and finalist has made a significant, transformational contribution toward improving student literacy,” said Moats. “They have taken research and information about reading science and made it visible in their programs, policies, practices, and outcomes. I would also like to call special attention to the teachers who are investing their time and energy to improve their literacy knowledge and professional practice, and refine their teaching skills for the benefit of all of their students.”
“Teacher efficacy is at an all-time high at CCPS because we're putting effective strategies into our teachers’ hands, and the ultimate beneficiaries are our students,” said Patricia Culpepper, principal of Cullman City Primary School, in the school’s nomination video. “I couldn't be more excited about our future for meeting the needs of our CCPS students based on our LETRS training.”
To hear the educators’ success stories, visit www.voyagersopris.com/louisa-moats-award.
About Lexia Learning
Lexia Learning, a Cambium Learning® Group company, is the structured literacy expert. For over 30 years, the company has focused solely on literacy, and today, provides a full spectrum of solutions for both students and teachers. With robust offerings for differentiated instruction, personalized learning, assessment, and professional learning, Lexia helps more learners read, write, and speak with confidence. For more information, visit www.lexialearning.com.
About Voyager Sopris Learning
Voyager Sopris Learning® is an education partner committed to unlocking the full potential of every teacher and every student. We believe that the best way to meet and exceed standards in education is to address the underlying systems of teaching and learning, and to nurture those systems at their most fundamental levels. Our programs and services are based on research and classroom evidence, ensuring they are easy to implement, teacher friendly and effective. We offer a variety of digital and blended instructional tools, programs, and professional learning, all of which are designed to help every teacher deliver nothing short of the highest-quality instruction to every student. For more information, visit www.voyagersoprislearning.com.
About Cambium Learning Group
Cambium Learning® Group is the education essentials company, providing award-winning education technology and services for K-12 markets. With an intentionally curated portfolio of respected global brands, Cambium serves as a leader in the education space, helping millions of educators and students feel more universally valued each and every day. In everything it does, the company focuses on the elements that are most essential to the success of education, delivering simpler, more certain solutions that make a meaningful difference right now. To learn more, visit www.cambiumlearning.com or follow Cambium on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Medium.
The Cambium family of companies includes: Cambium Assessment, Lexia® Learning, Learning A-Z®, Voyager Sopris Learning®, ExploreLearning®, Time4Learning®, and Kurzweil Education®.
