Programmatic Landscape Analysis of Literacy Resources Begins

FLAGSTAFF – June 6, 2019

The Literacy Coordination Team began work on a programmatic landscape analysis of community literacy resources yesterday to lay the foundation for its work toward improving collaboration and coordination in alignment with the K-3 literacy plan of the Flagstaff Unified School District.

Motivated by the survey results gathered by LAUNCH Flagstaff in February, the team is focused on strengthening personal and organizational relationships between team members and increase community awareness for the importance of high-quality language and communication skill development for preschool children.

The Lectio Program Design Evaluation Tool the team is using was developed by two literacy and early childhood education experts in research and program design and has been used across the country to inform programmatic design.  Access to the tool and training for the team’s use is provided by support from Read On Arizona with their designation of Flagstaff as a Read On Literacy Acceleration Zone.

The team began their work yesterday by reviewing five common pitfalls in program design:

1. Reacting to limited success or challenges by adding new (and more) programs
2. Disconnection between what we’ve been investing in and what we expect
3. Lack of sufficient attention to program design and the mechanism for producing the desired results
4. No clear distinction between Outputs and Outcomes
5. Lack of strategic coordination among programs

Introduction to the Lectio tool began with two sample case studies for team members to use the tool with objectivity before diving into local programs they are familiar with.  Team members then placed the evaluation tool against their own programs using information based on these questions:

• What is your program’s literacy goal?
• How is your program delivered? (What mechanism(s) is your program using to meet the goal?)
• How is your program’s target population identified?
• What are the structural features of your program? (frequency, duration, intensity, etc.)
• How does your program build staff capacity to support effective program implementation?
• What type(s) of program indicators are in place to determine your program’s success?
• How do you measure these program indicators?

In the next meeting, the team will use a system of rating specific components of their programs to identify strengths and opportunities for development.  Ultimately with this information from each community literacy program, the team will identify gaps in services and make strategic decisions for improved alignment and coordination in support of the Flagstaff education system.

The team’s next meeting will be on June 26, 2019 from 9:00 – 11:00 am at the United Way of Northern Arizona offices.

If you are part of a community organization the has a literacy program, you are invited to attend.  Please contact Paul Kulpinski at pkulpinski@launchflagstaff.org for more information.