Kean University on Wednesday said it will play a leading role in a new state literacy initiative, providing a learning and literacy loss consultant to the New Jersey Department of Education to analyze data, coordinate policy and implement best practices to improve students’ literacy outcomes.
“Nothing is more important to a young student’s educational outcome than their literacy skills, and Kean University is committed to supporting all young people on their path to success,” Kean President Lamont Repollet said. “We look forward to working with the NJDOE on this critical research and policy initiative.”
The Union-based educational institution signed an agreement this week with New Jersey officials to facilitate a study of literacy and learning loss among elementary students as lawmakers work to improve educational outcomes for children statewide.
Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday signed into law two pieces of legislation to bolster literary education across the state.
“Recent years have brought forth many challenges for our schools and our children,” Murphy said. “Understanding that strong reading skills have the potential to open countless doors for young learners, we must work together to support accelerated literacy learning in communities across the state.”
Kean’s objective will be to help create a permanent NJDOE workstream to enhance NJDOE’s capacity to improve elementary literacy and mitigate learning loss across New Jersey schools.
Sancha Gray, acting dean of Kean’s College of Education and senior vice president for entrepreneurial education initiatives, said K-12 schools have faced challenges in recent years due to learning loss.
“As the state’s urban research university, Kean prioritizes its role in supporting this kind of critical research and policy work,” Gray said. “We want to help New Jersey educators provide the best possible education to students, especially those who come from marginalized communities and face additional barriers to success.”
Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Repollet and acting NJDOE Commissioner Kevin Dehmer, the consultant will identify and compile state-collected data relevant to literacy and make policy recommendations.
Kean’s consultant will also engage with school districts and stakeholders to understand local needs and develop strategies for implementing best practices in the state’s schools.
The state’s initiative relies on evidence-based strategies, data-driven decisions, a coordination of resources, and research to create effective literacy strategies and promote learning equity.
