The Mt. Scott Literacy Project is a grant-funded initiative aimed at providing individualized literacy support to students in our junior and senior academies to best meet the needs of these different student populations. Emphasis in on group and individualized tutoring, combined with increased access to books and instructional materials. Our goal is to foster a culture where students can learn new skills as well as develop a love of reading. The core components of the project include:
 READ 180: Many school districts throughout the U.S. are utilizing Scholastic Inc.’s reading intervention program, READ 180. The program emphasizes differentiated learning through instructional software, high-interest literature, and direct instruction in reading, writing, and vocabulary. It also correlates to state standards and has shown high success rates in other alternative education programs in Oregon. The READ 180 program will be installed on 30 student workstations at Mt. Scott High School. Students reading below grade level will participate in a class that utilizes the READ 180 curriculum to provide individualized reading support to students.
- Library and Materials: Previously, Mt. Scott carried a very limited book selection. The Literacy Project is developing extensive library sections within our language arts classrooms and designated reading areas. These efforts include purchasing cataloging and check-out equipment, as well as the procurement of a diverse selection of high-interest books and reference materials. Equipment includes scanners, bar-code stickers, and cataloging software.
 Instruction and Tutoring Support: Utilizing READ 180 materials and student-centered literature, the Literacy Project will provide additional reading instruction and tutoring to below-grade-level readers at both schools. A Reading Specialist will support teaching staff to increase individual and group instruction. This specialist will teach the READ 180 class and provide individual and small group instruction.
- Cultural Experiences: The Literacy Project will expand student cultural experiences through performance, art, historical field trips, and other activities that enhance awareness and comprehension. The activities will enhance literacy,
 correspond to reading and writing assignments, and be used as incentives for students in remedial reading classes. Grant funds will be used to purchase tickets to performances, museums, and other activities, and will provide transportation to and from these activities.
Evaluation
With such specialized literacy support, Mt. Scott Learning Centers expects to see reading skills improve each academic year. Although we anticipate other academic subjects willalso improve, reading will serve as our primary measure of the project’s success. Mt. Scott expects students enrolled five consecutive months or more will increase reading performance by at least one grade level on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAPS) test. For many of our students, this will be a significant success. Specific evaluation measures will include:
- Reading test score improvement for each year will surpass the previous year by at least 10% on state grade-level benchmark tests;
- Below-grade-level readers will improve MAPS test scores by at least one full grade level; and
- Students’ attitudes towards reading will improve, as determined by an in-school survey at the beginning and end of the school year.
Project Funders
Mt. Scott Learning Centers expresses its sincere thanks to the following foundations for their financial support of our Literacy Project and for helping us realize our goals:
Henry Lea Hillman, Jr. Foundation
James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation
Meyer Memorial Trust
Collins Foundation
Hoover Family Foundation
Juan Young Trust
Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust
Taylor and Alice Alexander Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation
JEZ Foundation
We will continue to update this list periodically with new donors. For information on making a contribution to Mt. Scott, please visit How To Contribute.
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