Dissemination Grant

Claim: In service of impacting student achievement, GCCS has developed and refined the structure for professional development to promote teacher growth and collegial collaboration.

For the last three years, GCCS has held New York State Dissemination Grant with Rochester City School District Roberto Clemente School #8 to form Guided Peer Observation Groups focused on the implementation of the EL Education K-2 Reading Foundational Skills Curriculum. This has created a very strong district-charter partnership between two similar schools serving different populations. GCCS is fortunate to have one of the co-authors of the EL Education K-2 Reading Foundational Skills Curriculum on staff who was integral in facilitating the professional development and grant-related activities across the partnership.

Primary teachers from both buildings met monthly to observe in each other's classrooms, provide feedback to the curriculum, examine student assessment data to support differentiation, and become "critical friends" for each other in the implementation process. Teachers from both schools collaborated to present two Master Classes around the K-2 Reading Foundational Skills Curriculum at ELNC18 in Philadelphia, PA. Additionally, EL Education has utilized the grant partnership for several professional development videos to be featured on the curriculum website.

Anecdotal notes along with agendas and end-of-year grant reports including student achievement data from GCCS show the strong collegial partnership as well as the impact on student achievement. The partnership contributed to significant literacy growth and positive shifts in school culture in both schools. The success of this grant and partnership contributed to Roberto Clemente School #8's removal from the New York State Receivership Status.