Literacy

The Paraprofessional Structured Literacy Training (PSLT) was developed in service of meeting the MN READ Act goal of, “Every child reading at or above grade level every year, beginning in kindergarten, and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals in order to meet grade-level benchmarks.” In 2025-26, the Regional Literacy Network (RLN) created and implemented the PSLT across the state with the goal of training all paraprofessionals to meet the legislated June 30, 2026 deadline.

PSLT Content

Session #1: Reading Frameworks (2 hrs.)
Session #2: Phonemic Awareness (2 hrs.)
Session #3: Phonics (2 hrs.)
Session #4: Vocabulary and Comprehension (2 hrs.)

Paraprofessional Structured Literacy Training (PSLT) Schedule for 2026-27 School Year

The RLN will continue to support PSLT throughout the 2026-27 school year. Options for participation include:

Option #1: District Trainer - A school district may choose to use a district designated trainer to deliver the PSLT. A district trainer must have completed the PSLT Train the Trainer (TtT) sessions (2 days, in person) provided by the Regional Literacy Network (RLN). Districts should contact their Regional Literacy Lead for TtT dates, times, and registration.

Option #2: Virtual PSLT - The Regional Literacy Network (RLN) will continue to support the Paraprofessional Structured Literacy Training during the 2026-27 school year. Please review this 2026-27 PSLT document for details, including a summary of the content, options for participation, and dates, times, and registration links for virtual sessions.

Option #3: District-wide Live Sessions - If a district or a region has a significant number of paraprofessionals that need to complete the PSLT, live sessions may be offered either at a district site, or at a regional service coop. Contact your Regional Literacy Lead for additional information. August 24th and 25th from 8:00 A,M.-3:00 P.M. Registration coming soon.

To find out more, contact Amy Maki, Regional Literacy Lead amy.maki@coop.nescmn.net

State Literacy Pathways

LIT15: Creating a District Adopted Literacy Scope and Sequence (Sequential)

In this pathway, district instructional leadership teams will explore tools for drafting (or improving) their documented literacy scope and sequence. Participants will practice bundling standards and benchmarks, aligning bundles to their curriculum, and developing a pacing guide. All sessions are virtual from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Dates offered: Sept. 17th, Nov. 5th, and Feb. 11th.

LIT16: Sustaining a District Literacy Scope and Sequence (Sequential)

The purpose of this pathway is to strengthen and plan to sustain an existing scope and sequence for literacy learning.

District instructional leadership teams will perform a gap analysis to identify needs for supplementing or adapting

their high quality tier 1 literacy curriculum. Then, they will consider how the supplemented and adapted scope and sequence can

guide instructional planning for units and lessons across sites and grade levels. Finally, district teams will explore local work processes to ensure that materials, tasks, assessments, and scaffolds align with the progression of skills in the ELA standards and benchmarks documented in their scope and sequence. All sessions are virtual from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Dates offered: Dec.2nd, March 3rd, and May 26th

LIT17: Designing Connected and Cumulative Literacy Instruction (Systematic)

The Systematic aspect of Structured Literacy means instruction is planned, intentional, and organized, with clear objectives and consistent routines. Instruction is aligned to the ELA standards which are skills based and increase in complexity from K-12 (See

Sequential). District instructional leadership teams use the ELA learning progressions to ensure a systematic increase in complexity across grades that aligns vertically with state standards. This approach reduces ambiguity and ensures that skills are taught and reinforced in a predictable way. All sessions are virtual from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Dates offered: Sept. 23rd, Dec. 10th, and March 11th

LIT18: Designing Learner-Centered Literacy Instruction (Systematic)

This pathway equips educators to design literacy instruction that accelerates learning through targeted scaffolds, responsive differentiation within a common sequence, and intentional reinforcement and cumulative review. Participants will leave with practical strategies for planning connected, grade‐level literacy experiences that support all learners’ access, retention, and extension of essential skills. All sessions are virtual from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Dates offered: Nov. 18th, Feb. 24th, and May 20th

LIT19: Delivering Responsive Literacy Instruction (Explicit)

Explicit instruction is a systematic, intentional approach that makes learning clear and accessible for all students. New skills are taught

through clear explanation, purposeful modeling, guided practice, and opportunities for independent application. Instruction is organized,

precise, and transparent, ensuring students understand what they are learning, why it matters, and how to apply it.

All sessions are virtual from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Dates offered: Oct. 8th,Jan. 7th, and April 8th

LIT21: Supporting Diagnostic Literacy Instruction (Diagnostic)

Diagnostic teaching is an adaptive, data-informed approach to instruction that continuously uses assessment insights to guide what is

taught, how it is taught, and what follows for each learner. It draws on multiple sources of evidence—formal and informal, formative and summative—to determine how well students have learned content and to adjust instruction for support or acceleration.

All sessions are virtual from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Dates offered: Oct. 22nd, Feb. 25th, and May 13th

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