'Rigorous' Language Arts Program a Success at Parkland

Parkland School District's LEAD 21, a language arts program, has been implemented across all schools this academic year with great success, according to Diane Neikam, Curriculum Supervisor of Elementary Education.

The program, designed by McGraw-Hill, was pre-implemented and rolled out in two grade levels last year before going district-wide.

LEAD 21 is based on common core standards adopted by states across the country. Some of the highlights of the curriculum include:

• A majority of the reading selections are based upon non-fiction text.

•  The assessments provide direction for teachers to differentiate instruction based upon “Advanced, Benchmark, Strategic and Intervention” levels.

• An “Inquiry Based Project” is included with every unit.  This project allows students to work together to investigate interesting topics and ideas.  Inquiry projects are shared with the class when they are complete.

• A strong technology component to the LEAD 21 project allows students and parents to explore literacy learning at home.

Neikam said students across the district are making great gains in language arts as a result of the program.

"It's very rigorous. It's a model that takes students out of their comfort zone and stretches them," she said. "A lot of the components are through technology, even at the younger grades. I love it."

Neikam said some teachers found the program difficult at first, but now have become more comfortable with it.