Hemet Unified School District in Hemet, California, faced significant districtwide literacy challenges. After reviewing district data, the literacy and intervention team noted that just 16% of its 22,000 students were reading at or above grade level. The district is one of the largest geographic areas of any district in California, comprised of 26 schools covering grades TK–12. More than 80% of its students come from minority populations.
The district's new director of literacy and intervention for the Riverside County district, Kristen Anderson, looked at Lexia® LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) as a solution to address significant literacy access and equity issues.
The LETRS Suite is a professional learning platform that helps educators and administrators become literacy and language experts in the science of reading. Developed by renowned literacy experts Dr. Louisa Moats, Dr. Carol Tolman, and Dr. Lucy Hart Paulson, it provides a learning solution for both educators and administrators. Dr. Moats is highly respected by the district’s elementary teachers, who understand her focus and reputation. This made LETRS a perfect fit for Hemet USD.
“LETRS checked all the boxes of what we were looking for in terms of giving our teachers flexibility to learn on their own time,” Anderson said, “in their own space and from the comfort of their own home, but then also coming together and working collaboratively.”
The district rolled out LETRS training in two separate cohorts. The first cohort included 500 “first adopters” from a group of 1,300 TK–12 educators. The initial response was very positive, with educators expressing very strong interest in joining the second cohort.
As it continues to plan out its teacher professional development, Hemet USD will make LETRS a primary reference and professional development source for teachers and administrators.
Learn about the impact LETRS has had on Hemet USD teachers and administrators.
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