ARI / The Alabama Reading Initiative

Writing is not one skill. It’s a system of skills that must be woven together.

If you’re thinking about how we strengthen writing instruction, don’t miss this video featuring Joan Sedita from Reading Universe.

Sedita’s Writing Rope gives us a powerful way to think about the instruction students need: critical thinking, syntax, text structure, writing craft, and transcription. These strands can be taught explicitly, but ultimately, students must learn to integrate them to become skilled writers. (Reading Universe⁠)

For those working to strengthen literacy instruction, this is an important reminder:

🧵 We don’t teach isolated skills and hope they come together.
🧵 We intentionally build the strands.
🧵 We provide opportunities for students to practice and integrate those skills.
🧵 We build toward independence and increasingly complex communication.

Want to dig deeper?

🎥 Listen to Joan Sedita explain the Writing Rope and the components of effective writing instruction.

Reading Universe | Teaching Children to Write Well, with Joan Sedita,… Joan Sedita, M.Ed., explains the Writing Rope and discusses the skills students need to become confident and skilled writers.

Evidence-based practices don’t implement themselves. People do.

And instructional leaders play a critical role in making sure those practices become more than something we know—they become something we consistently do.

Coherent systems of literacy support require leaders to create the conditions for implementation:

📚 A shared vision for literacy
🔎 Systems for using data to inform decision making
🧩 High-quality, evidence-based instruction
🤝 Professional learning and coaching that build educator capacity
📈 Structures that support implementation, reflection, and continuous improvement

When leaders align the pieces, teachers are better supported—and students experience greater consistency in the instruction they receive.

That’s why we’ve been building resources specifically for K–3 building and district leaders on the ARI Google Site.

From leadership and implementation tools to data-informed decision-making and resources connected to the Alabama Literacy Act, the site is designed to help leaders move from “What does this mean?” to “What does this look like in our system?”

🔗 Visit the ARI Google Site and explore the resources designed to support instructional leaders in building coherent systems for literacy success.

Because implementation is not an initiative. It’s a system. It’s a commitment. And it starts with leadership.

Alabama Reading Initiative - Leadership / Implementation Team Driving the Journey to Success Working Document

What does prevention look like when it comes to reading?

The Alabama Literacy Act is about more than responding when a student struggles. It is about building a coherent system of support designed to identify needs early, provide the right instruction and intervention, and surround students and families with the support they need to succeed.

That system includes:

📚 Universal screening to identify reading difficulties early
📚 High-quality, evidence-based core instruction
📚 Proven interventions matched to student need
📚 Individualized Student Reading Improvement Plans
📚 Read-at-home plans that engage and equip families
📚 Learning opportunities that extend beyond the school day

When these pieces work together, we move from simply reacting to reading difficulties to preventing them from becoming barriers to lifelong literacy.

🎥 Listen to learn more about the Alabama Literacy Act and the systems of support designed to help every child become a successful reader.

The Alabama Literacy Act (updated 8.15.23) Alabama Reading Initiative - Blueprint for Achievement: https://dri...

What if every K-3 teacher had a trusted thought partner in literacy?

That’s the heart of Student-Centered Literacy Coaching in Alabama. 💙

Student-centered coaching is a differentiated, job-embedded professional learning model built on side-by-side, intentional support and collaborative partnerships.

It’s all about working with teachers to:

✨ Strengthen instructional practice
✨ Implement evidence-based literacy practices
✨ Build educator capacity
✨ Keep student learning at the center of the work

In Alabama, we believe literacy coaching can provide every K-3 teacher with a trusted thought partner—someone who collaborates, reflects, learns alongside them, and helps turn evidence into action.

Want to learn more about what student-centered literacy coaching looks like in Alabama?

👉 Explore the Student-Centered Coaching Cog on the ARI Google Site for resources, guidance, and tools to support coaching conversations and coaching cycles.

Because when we invest in teachers, we create more opportunities for every student to thrive.

Every child. Every chance. Every day.

Alabama Reading Initiative - Coaching Coaching Resources

Alabama educator preparation programs have made tremendous progress in aligning their coursework and related field experiences to the science of reading. Over the last six years, we have evolved from existing within our own silos to inviting other institutions in, collaborating with and supporting one another, and shifting our mindset from checking boxes to continuous improvement in an effort to prepare strong literacy teachers.

Thank you to Auburn University for leading such a wonderful day of collaboration and learning focused on closely aligning our coursework and field experiences to our EPP literacy standards. The panel discussion with our internal and external program reviewers, PARCA representatives and ALSDE representatives was such a rich learning experience that provided transparency about the review process.

Back to school means BG3 is back on the road! 🚗📚 This is one of the very best parts of what we get to do.

Across this beautiful state, we’ve spent the week alongside the people who are boots on the ground—educators who are thinking, planning, collaborating, and doing the important work of strengthening outcomes for Alabama students.

This week, ARI Beyond Grade 3 had the privilege of learning alongside educators in:

📍 Tallapoosa County Schools
📍 Jackson County Schools
📍 Limestone County Schools
📍 Sheffield City Schools
📍 Tuscaloosa County Schools
📍 Morgan County Schools

To each of you: Thank you for welcoming ARI BG3 into your districts, your schools, and your classrooms. We are honored to be your thought partner as we work together toward stronger literacy outcomes for Alabama adolescents.

This work is about struggling readers—and it is also about so much more.

It’s about creating stronger pathways to proficiency for every student.

It’s about improving outcomes across grade levels and content areas.

It’s about recognizing that literacy is not the responsibility of one teacher, one course, or one department. Literacy is the golden thread that weaves learning together.

And when we link arms—grade level to grade level, content to content, school to school, district to district—we create something stronger than any of us can create alone.

That’s the power of partnership.

And that’s how we move Alabama forward.

Here’s to an incredible 2026–2027 school year! We’re ready to support literacy attainment, achievement, and acceleration beyond Grade 3—and we’re ready to do it together.

Alabama, let’s get to work. 💙💚



Alabama Department of Education Melissa Shields Bonnie Herold Short

Literacy begins with strong partnerships. 📚

The learning doesn’t end when the school day is over. Families and communities play a vital role in helping children build the foundational literacy skills they need to become confident, successful readers.

Explore the ARI YouTube channel and discover our Family & Community Series, featuring practical strategies families can use beyond the school day to support phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

While you’re there, explore the many additional resources designed to support foundational literacy attainment. Together, schools, families, and communities can create the conditions for every child to thrive as a reader.

Family and Community Series Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Follow our friends!!!!

Over the last year, this page has served as a space to share valuable resources, highlight professional learning opportunities, celebrate educator excellence, and showcase the success of multilingual learners across Alabama.

As we begin the 2026-2027 school year, we are grateful for this growing community of educators, leaders, and partners who are committed to helping multilingual learners thrive. Thank you for learning, collaborating, and growing with us. 💙

Alabama MTSS ARI / The Alabama Reading Initiative ALSDE Office of Extended Learning AMSTI