Nell Duke appointed to State of Michigan’s PreK-12 Literacy Commission
Professor Nell K. Duke has been appointed to the State of Michigan’s PreK-12 Literacy Commission Term. Duke will serve through October 31, 2022. Housed within the Michigan Department of Education, the commission advises and assists in matters relating to the assessment, professional development, education programming, socioeconomic challenges, best practices, collaboration, parental engagement, and teaching of literacy.
The Commission is composed of 13 members, seven of which represent the business, education, and philanthropic communities who have a particular interest or expertise in literacy in the state of Michigan, with at least one member with literacy experience in an urban setting, at least one member with experience in Special Education Literacy, and at least one member with experience in English-Language Learners.
Responsibilities of the commission include:
- Suggesting PreK-12 literacy goals for the state and publish relevant progress reports to the public, Governor, and legislature on PreK-12 literacy in Michigan.
- Advising the Governor, legislature, and Department on how state policy can better align to the unique literacy challenges that schools face based on the school's locale and socioeconomic status of the school's population.
- Investigating, analyzing, and advising the Governor, legislature, and Department regarding changes in state programs, statutes, regulations, and policies concerning PreK-12 literacy.
- Monitoring current PreK-12 literacy research, pilot programs, and policies nationwide and report on their applicability to adoption in Michigan.
- Examining current literacy-focused professional development practices across the state and identify and publish best practices.
- Promoting partnerships between the state, schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropies towards the goal of PreK-12 literacy in Michigan.
- Monitoring nationwide trends in the use of assessments, intervention, and data-driven instruction relevant to PreK-12 literacy and make reports concerning those trends to the Governor, legislature, and Department.
- Recognizing the efforts of teachers, schools, and districts that have made great strides in PreK-12 literacy in Michigan.
- Encouraging collaboration between teachers, schools, and districts around resources, proven methods, and best practices concerning PreK-12 literacy.
- Reporting on proven methods to engage parents in promoting literacy amongst Michigan's PreK-12 students.
- Reviewing the preparation that Michigan teachers receive regarding literacy and report to the legislature and Governor regarding how state policy reflects current research and best practices.
