Supporting language and decoding are important pieces of helping kids grow up to be successful readers. But making it happen is way more complex than that.

What happens when a child in 5th grade is reading at a first grade reading level?

What if there are other barriers BESIDES just reading getting in the way; such as scheduling constraints, classroom management issues, or access to mentoring?

What if kids don’t have access to books outside of school, and schools don’t have the funding to provide them with quality reading materials?

I wanted to discuss these questions, and that’s why I invited educational consultant Cassandra Williams to episode 113 of the De Facto Leaders podcast.

Cassandra Williams is a true innovator in the education field, having dedicated over 25 years of her life to revolutionizing existing systems and setting new standards of excellence. With a degree in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University and a Master’s from California State University, she is also the founder of two successful elementary schools in Indianapolis. Her research has focused on coaching teachers to accelerate student achievement, often utilizing video and other technologies as learning tools. Her most recent passion is the Educational Innovation 360° e-Instructional Coaching System (click here to learn more: https://www.educationalinnovation360.com/), which she designed and developed in 2018.

On this episode, we discuss:

✅What are teachers struggling with when it comes to teaching reading? Do they always know where they need support?

✅How to make school libraries and district events more inclusive and culturally responsive.

✅How can we make schools more inviting to parents so they can take an active role in their children’s education?

✅Three essential components of effective professional development, and why many workshops only address ONE of these components.

You can connect with Cassandra on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-williams-777b7927/, on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Edinnovation360, and on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Educationalinnovation360/, on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/educationalinnovation360/

You can learn more about her coaching and professional development for schools and individuals at https://www.educationalinnovation360.com/

In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

90. High Cost of Living vs Low Cost of Living | HCOL vs LCOL