>> ERIC: ONLY HALF OF MINNESOTA STUDENTS CURRENTLY MEET THEIR GRADE LEVEL IN LITERACY AND MATH PROFICIENCY, A DOWNWARD TREND THAT DROPPED SHARPLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.

LAST SPRING'S EDUCATION BILL SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR WALZ INCLUDED WAYS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF A STATE LITERACY DIRECTOR.

JULIE NOVAK IS THE FIRST PERSON TO HOLD THAT TITLE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

NOW WE'RE BACK TO PHONICS, WHICH ALONG WITH THE McGUFF IF I READER AND DICK AND JANE, FOLKS MY AGE, WHY ARE WE BACK TO THE FUTURE HERE?

>> YOU KNOW, THE BODY OF RESEARCH THAT HAS REALLY COME TO SURFACE IN THE LAST COUPLE DECADES REINFORCES THAT WE KNOW HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS HOW TO READ, AND BY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTION THAT HELPS EACH AND EVERY STUDENT READ AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL PROFICIENCY.

AND, SO, THIS WORK THAT WE ARE INVESTED IN RIGHT NOW, THANK YOU TO THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND LEGISLATURE, IS PIVOTAL IN REALLY EMBRACING THE WAY THAT WE CAN TEACH ALL STUDENTS TO READ.

>> Cathy: OKAY, SO HOW DIFFERENT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THIS NEW READING CURRICULUM, RIGHT, SO, HOW DIFFERENT IS THAT FROM WHAT KIDS -- HOW THEY WERE LEARNING, SAY, TEN YEARS AGO?

>> SO THE LEGISLATURE DID NOT PASS A CURRICULUM.

IT DID SAY, WE WILL GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CURRICULUM THAT IS EVIDENCE BASED.

AND, SO, THAT STILL GIVES OUR DISTRICTS SOME SUPPORT IN HOW YOU NAVIGATE THIS CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF SO MANY OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

RIGHT?

WE HAVE REALLY LEANED INTO OUR PARTNERS WITH THIS WORK AND HELPING OUR DISTRICTS AND OUR SERVICE CO-OPS, WE'RE ALL COLLABORATING TOGETHER N BRINGING THIS FORWARD SO THAT AS OUR EDUCATORS ARE MAKING THESE KEY DECISIONS ABOUT INSTRUCTION, THERE'S SOME SUPPORT IN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.

>> Eric: IS IT A UNIVERSAL SITUATION STATEWIDE?

IN OTHER WORDS, IS IT UNIFORM CURRICULUM FOR EVERY SCHOOL?

>> NO.

THERE'S CHOICE.

>> Eric: OKAY.

>> THERE IS CHOICE FOR OUR LOCAL DISTRICTS.

THERE WILL BE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT WITH THESE RESOURCES HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, AND HERE ARE ONES THAT HAVE QUALITY EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES WITHIN THEM.

BUT THERE'S STILL LOCAL CHOICE.

>> Cathy: I WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHAT IMPACT MIGHT THIS HAVE?

IS THERE ANY WAY TO MEASURE THIS?

WHAT WOULD BE THE GOAL, SAY, IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?

>> THE GOAL IS REALLY TO ADVANCE OUR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES WITH SCREENING, MEASURING HOW ARE STUDENTS DOING, AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SOME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE GROWTH IN STUDENTS AS OUR EDUCATORS HAVE BEGUN IMPLEMENTING THIS RESEARCH INTO LESSON DESIGN.

>> Eric: DO YOU HAVE ANY POWER OR ABILITY TO PERSUADE THE COLLEGES THAT TEACH TEACHERS TO ADOPT THIS?

>> THEY ARE ALSO VALUABLE PARTNERS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME HIGHER ED REALLY INVESTED IN HOW CAN WE SUPPORT OUR TEACHER REP PROGRAMS SO THAT WHEN TEACHERS ARE LEAVING COLLEGE, THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THEY NEED TO HELP EACH AND EVERY STUDENT ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY SKILL SET FOR READING AND WRITING.

>> Cathy: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS, BUT I'M WONDERING ABOUT JUST ADULTS.

HOW CAN ADULTS HELP KIDS LEARN HOW TO READ BETTER?

>> YOU KNOW, I LOVE THIS QUESTION.

IT TAKES ALL OF US.

I HAVE A 2 1/2-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, HOW DO WE HELP.

CONVERSATION AROUND THE HOME, WE HEAR THESE THINGS AND THAT EXPOSURE TO WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT IS THE WORLD AROUND OU.

WE NEED THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THOSE EXPERIENCES AND THEY'RE ALL VALUABLE.

AND, SO, REALLY ENGAGING OUR STUDENTS IN SPEAKING AND LISTENING AND SETTING HAT FOUNDATION FOR WHEN THEY ENTER OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AT PRE-K AND K, AND WE START LAYERING ON, OH, HERE'S THE CODE, RIGHT?

HERE'S HOW SENTENCES ARE CONSTRUCTED.

HERE'S HOW YOU UNDERSTAND A NOVEL.

HERE'S HOW YOU UNDERSTAND A PERIODIC TABLE.

RIGHT?

ALL OF THOSE PIECES ARE CONNECTED TO LITERACY.

AND, SO, I THINK THAT AS WE LEAN IN AND WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE INVESTED, WE ALL WANT STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS.

OPPORTUNITIES.

>> Eric: HOPE WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THIS AS YOU GO THROUGH THE SESSION AND INTO THE SUMMER.

>> YES.

>> Eric: APPRECIATE YOU COMING