Curriculum Associates Kicks Off Second Year of Partnership with City Year to Support Students Achieving Grade-Level Reading Proficiency

City Year's student success coaches utilize Curriculum Associates' Magnetic Reading™ program to support 300 students across three large, urban school districts

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the 2024–2025 school year kicks off, Curriculum Associates looks forward to the second year of partnership with education nonprofit City Year, following a successful inaugural year of providing high-dosage literacy tutoring. Last year a total of 300 students in Grades 3–5 received targeted support from City Year AmeriCorps members, who served as student success coaches (SSCs) and used Curriculum Associates' research-based Magnetic Reading program to improve literacy outcomes. This year, again, close to 300 students will participate and will be guided by a team of more than 20 coaches.

Coaches will be working with students attending City Year partner schools across three sites: Columbus City Schools in Ohio, Seattle Public Schools in Washington; and Memphis Shelby County Schools in Tennessee. City Year and Curriculum Associates are working to meet and exceed the success of last year's partnership:

• 80 percent of AmeriCorps members reported that Magnetic Reading significantly boosted their confidence and ability to help students develop literacy skills.
• Through ongoing observation and coaching, 90 percent of City Year staff attribute Magnetic Reading to the enhanced confidence and ability of AmeriCorps members.
• 88 percent of AmeriCorps members reported a demonstrated growth in student skills during Magnetic Reading sessions.
• 95 percent of City Year staff viewed Magnetic Reading as beneficial to their site programming.

"Every student has the potential to become a lifelong reader, but many continue to struggle with grade-level reading, increasing the academic, social, and personal challenges they face," said Elizabeth Bassford, vice president of content and implementation at Curriculum Associates. "Our partnership with City Year was designed to give AmeriCorps members the support needed to spark joy and confidence in aspiring readers. We're thrilled with the pilot's results and are looking forward to continued growth in the year ahead."

City Year is a trailblazing, youth-powered organization with a dual mission: to expand educational equity for students furthest from opportunity and develop diverse leaders through national service. Today, City Year AmeriCorps members serving as SSCs work in hundreds of systemically under-resourced schools. They partner with classroom teachers to provide students with research-based academic and social-emotional support designed to help students thrive and make public schools more equitable, joyful, and engaging for all members of the school community.

"We know that every student can succeed when given the appropriate time, attention, and instruction," said Stephanie Wu, City Year's chief transformation officer. "But oftentimes, approaching this instruction can feel daunting. The training and tools City Year AmeriCorps members received in partnership with Curriculum Associates enabled them to more effectively engage with their students. The increased confidence in our tutors was apparent, and we're excited to expand this partnership to reach more students."

Built using the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines and utilizing engagement protocols from Dr. Sharroky Hollie, Magnetic Reading notably helps all students engage with high-quality, grade-level texts. The program features three types of scaffolds: resources for pre-teaching, embedded supports for students, and formative assessment opportunities. Strategic supports for English Learners are embedded throughout the reading as well.

In addition to students receiving access to Magnetic Reading, all SSCs involved in this initiative received comprehensive training and ongoing support from Curriculum Associates on how to implement the program.

To learn more about City Year, visit CityYear.org. To learn more about Curriculum Associates, visit CurriculumAssociates.com.

About Curriculum Associates
Founded in 1969, Curriculum Associates, LLC designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. The company's products and outstanding customer service provide teachers and administrators with the resources necessary for teaching diverse student populations and fostering learning for all students.

Media contact: [email protected] 

SOURCE Curriculum Associates, LLC