Description:
The Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE) is a Professional Development program focused on training teachers to improve their literacy instruction and create research-based practices that can be applied to curriculum, such as basic reading programs, that is already in place. Findings from the Report of the National Reading Panel are reflected in the CORE approach, which covers phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Additionally the program addresses issues of Implementation such as evaluation, leadership and continued development of effective practice(www.corelearn.com).

CORE literature uses the analogy of a three-legged stool to describe effective implementation. "Knowledge and Skills" concerning what and how to teach will not yield results unless two other key elements are in place: "System Capacity and Leadership," or a capacity-building support system and "Tools and Materials," research-based materials for instruction and tools for assessment. Success is possible when those three aspects of the literacy program are functioning together (www.corelearn.com).

One of the goals of CORE is to assist schools in making the systemic changes that will allow them to acheive and maintain continued success without prolonged assistance from outside organizations (www.nwrel.org).

Goal:
"CORE works collaboratively with states, districts, and schools to develop the deep expertise essential to improving literacy achievement for all students. Our consultation and professional development services and products help our customers build their own capacity for effective instruction by laying a foundation of research-based knowledge, tools, and systemic support. As an organization committed to integrity, excellence, and service, we believe that fully supported and informed classroom teaching can help all students become proficient readers and writers."

(CORE Mission Statement, retrieved January 2, 2003 from www.corelearn.com)

Approach:
The Foundation Year of CORE support consists of 20-26 days of the onsite CORE Reading Academy and implementation visits. This entails coaching and demonstrations as well as practicum for coaches, problem solving sessions, work with leadership and training in a web-based assessment program called AIMSweb. Leaders, coaches and teachers attend off-site institutes and seminars. Representatives from CORE assist schools with data analysis and evaluation of the implementation process. The following two years of implementation involve several of the same features but decreasing slightly from 15-20 days in the second year to 10-14 in the third. Schools have year-round CORE support via e-mail or phone (www.corelearn.com)

The key elements of CORE are designed to help schools effectively implement select comprehensive reading programs. The programs promoted by CORE are: Open Court Reading (SRA/McGraw Hill 2002), Houghton Mifflin Reading (Houghton Mifflin, 2003), Harcourt Trophies (Harcourt 2002) or Prentice Hall Literature (Prentice Hall 2002). To insure success with a chosen program, CORE aims for understanding of current research and classroom-tested models of good instruction. Practitioners are shown how that knowledge can be applied to basal reader programs. It is essential by CORE standards to maintain a material-specific focus while addressing such issues as meeting the needs of all learners (including English Language Learners), maintaining professional development, and reaching out to parents (www.corelearn.com).

Site contains "Ask Dr. Read" feature, which allows searchers to enter questions to be answered by CORE reading experts. Questions and answers are posted under a number of different Q&A categories related to literacy teaching and learning. Dr. Read can also be contacted by phone during certain hours throughout the week. Check http://www.corelearn.com/Dr.Read.htm for current information.

CORE also offers free one hour phone consultation to show the kinds of services they can provide. http://www.corelearn.com/consult.htm

A comprehensive list of funding options and organizations can be found through CORE at: http://www.corelearn.com/funding.htm

Research:
Research by an external evaluator of California schools between 1998-99 showed that the percentage of increase in SAT-9 reading scores for elementary students from schools in which CORE was being implemented was higher than the percentile growth statewide (www.nwrel.org).

CORE's brochure contains a chart showing dramatic increase in SAT-9 scores between 1998 and 2000 for second graders from California, but from those classes in which CORE had been "well implemented." Only those classrooms in which all of CORE's program criteria had been met were considered (http://www.corelearn.com/PDFS/CORE%20Brochure.pdf). The actual number of classrooms included in this data is unclear (AH).

CORE customer profiles are available through the website at http://www.corelearn.com/success_story.htm

Costs:
Costs for services and teacher materials average about $50,000 the first year for an Elementary School of 500 students. Including partial release time (0.5 FTE) for a coach and curriculum materials (which average between $400 and $1,500 per K-3 class and $700 to $1,000 for Intervention materials for intermediate grades), first-year costs average about $80,000, second year costs $50,000, and third year costs $25,000. Schools also will have to budget for travel for CORE staff and stipends/release time for all staff members to participate in training.

Middle school costs average about $37,000 the first year for a school of 500, not including travel, staffing, release time, or materials.
(Retrieved from www.nwrel.org January 6, 2004)

CORE's services are based on a per day charge. They suggest that interested schools call with information regarding their reading goals in order to get an efficient estimate of the total cost of implementation (www.corelearn.com).