The Georgia State Board of Education has approved Collaborative Classroom's Being a Reader™ as a recommended program on its High-Quality Instructional Materials (K–3) Advisory List.
The purpose of the Georgia State Board of Education's review was to vet K–3 core reading programs reflective of the components of structured literacy as outlined in Georgia HB 538.
"We're thrilled that Georgia has recognized Being a Reader as a high-quality curriculum for comprehensive reading instruction," said Collaborative Classroom CEO and President Kelly Stuart. "Schools across the Southeast and nationwide are already using the evidence-based instruction in Being a Reader to help their students develop as fluent and confident readers, and we are here to support Georgia literacy educators in this vital work."
Collaborative Classroom Managers of Educational Partnerships Devonne Harper and Katharine Bonasera support Georgia schools. "As a longtime Georgia educator, I'm so gratified to bring Being a Reader into our classrooms," Harper said. "Reading research tells us that learning to read requires an intentional focus on both word recognition and language comprehension, woven together with ample opportunities for independent application and practice with engaging texts and authentic literacy experiences—and this is exactly what Being a Reader does."
Katharine Bonasera added, "Being a Reader supports students' literacy development from their earliest experiences with letters and sounds through the acquisition of the skills and strategies needed to read polysyllabic words and engage with increasingly complex text. I know this powerful curriculum will serve Georgia students well."
About Being a Reader
A comprehensive K–5 reading program, Being a Reader is the first of its kind to integrate foundational skills instruction, practice in reading comprehension strategies, and rich literacy experiences with explicit social skills instruction and activities that foster students' growth as responsible, caring, and collaborative people.
Being a Reader follows a continuum of reading development to meet each student at their instructional point of need and take them to their next level of literacy. Grounded in scientific reading research, the program is informed by our many years of experience working alongside classroom teachers.
Through whole-class, small-group, and individualized approaches to teaching both foundational skills and reading comprehension, students develop as proficient, competent readers who love to read, learn from, and talk about books. Learn more here.
About Collaborative Classroom
Collaborative Classroom is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization committed to ensuring that all students become readers, writers, and thinkers who learn from, care for, and respect one another.
Collaborative Classroom's evidence-based programs help children develop as proficient readers and writers, appreciate the ideas and opinions of others, learn to agree and disagree respectfully, think critically about big ideas, and become responsible citizens of the world.
Our commitment to continuous, embedded professional learning empowers educators to grow their teaching practices, build school community, and create the conditions for authentic, student-centered learning.
Since the organization's founding in 1980, our work has reached more than 8 million students and 328,000 teachers in classrooms across the country, developing fluent readers and skilled writers, supporting instructional equity, transforming discipline practices, and bolstering student and teacher engagement. Learn more at https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/.
