Led by professors Tanya Wright and Gina Cervetti, The Michigan Literacy Leaders Partnership is selected as one of 37 recipients of U-M’s Strategic Initiative Fund

The Michigan Literacy Leaders Partnership aims to create lasting improvements in reading outcomes in Michigan and positions the University of Michigan as a leader in life-changing education today and in the future. It will support reading achievement statewide by bringing evidence-based instruction directly to students while simultaneously building teachers' capacity to deliver research-aligned reading instruction — the full science of reading.

The partnership will develop and launch a Detroit summer reading program, offer professional learning opportunities for teachers before and during the summer, and study the implementation of both components with the goals of improvement and impact, directly supporting children in learning to read while building the next generation of expert teachers.

Expected student literacy outcomes include mitigating summer learning loss and improving students' reading achievement and attitudes across the subsequent academic year, measured through immediate and delayed reading assessments and surveys of student reading motivation and habits. Teacher professional-learning outcomes include improvements in teachers' knowledge of the science of reading. The partnership will also produce a model for integrated summer reading and professional learning that can be replicated at other institutions, sharing findings through research journals and policy reports.

In addition to Dr. Tanya S. Wright and Dr. Gina N. Cervetti, who lead the project, Dr. Elizabeth Birr Moje, Dr. Bridget Maher, and Dr. Darin Stockdill from the Marsal School will contribute their expertise. The project engages experts from the Marsal Family School of Education, School of Kinesiology, School of Music, Theatre, & Dance, Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design, as well as colleagues in the Detroit Marygrove Learning Community and Boldly Moving Education Ahead. 

On August 26, the university announced 37 projects to receive funding from the university’s Strategic Initiative Fund (SIF). To be considered for funding, each proposal had to align with one or more of the five impact areas identified in the Look to Michigan vision and encourage collaboration from scholars and staff across academic departments, university campuses and multiple colleges, schools and units. The call generated nearly 500 proposals, of which 37 were chosen for funding. 

“The university is making a deliberate and sustained financial commitment to invest in the ideas, people and partnerships that will shape our future and achieve our vision,” President Grasso said. “And these initiatives will ensure that Michigan continues to distinguish itself as a place where bold ideas deliver lasting impact.”