INDIANAPOLIS — It’s a typical day in third-grade teacher Lyric Jones’ class at Enlace School, where students are learning literacy techniques through the science of reading.
"The science of reading is really helping out kids. I think they are showing a lot of progress and growth as we saw last year and our kids are feeling confident in themselves because they have that curriculum that's helping them build that confidence,” Lyric Jones, a 3rd-grade teacher at Enlace School, said.
Since Enlace School began working with Marian University through its literacy cadre, its IREAD scores increased by more than 19 percent.
"Even after the first year of implementation, teachers were coming up to me and saying you'll never believe the success that my kids are having,” Lauren Perkins, the reading specialist at Enlace, said. “They are spelling they are reading this unlike anything we have ever seen."
School leaders say parent involvement at home has been a big part of the progress. Fourth-grader Lilian described how her family helped.
"When I was first reading, my mom said I needed to try harder.. and that if I try harder, it's going to get better and then I just started to read good,” Lilian said.
Marian University is expanding its Riverside Innovation Education District, or "REID," an initiative in which Enlace is taking part.
Chris Creighton, vice president of innovation and growth at Marion University, said, "We chose literacy as a key initiative as part of the project because it's something that we do well in partnership with the schools. It's a key metric of how students will do not only in their K-12 experience but throughout their lifetime."
The LaRue Carter Veterans Administration Hospital will serve as the hub of literacy resources for the northwest-side community — an old site fueling the minds of the Hoosier State's future.
"We're partnering specifically with schools in the area to increase educational attainment.. and Marian is part of that. One of many,” Creighton said.
School officials say educational attainment on the northwest side is already improving.
