Peabody Charter School, under the leadership of Demian Barnett, Claire Krock and the board of directors, has implemented a system of reading intervention that supports children learning to read in alignment with the science of reading.

There is indisputable evidence that students need explicit, systematic instruction when forming foundational reading skills. The literacy program at Peabody Charter has reimagined its instructional intervention to provide rich, research-based reading instruction to support all students in becoming proficient readers.

Under this new initiative, this charter school in the Santa Barbara Unified School District plans to have all its third graders reading by 2026. This objective mirrors that of state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who last fall set the goal that all of California’s third-graders will be proficient readers by 2026. Peabody Charter is actively working toward creating a local, robust literacy program for all students in accordance with this statewide goal.

“It is time for all schools to align their English Language Arts instruction with the body of research defined as the science of Reading,” said Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Claire Krock. “The ‘reading wars’ are officially over.”

With this enhanced level of instruction and coordinated system, student literacy rates are improving. As part of the charter’s commitment to this cause, 35 teachers and staff members will be participating in an ambitious two-year professional development course that will prepare all of Peabody Charter’s teachers to be 21st century experts in teaching reading, spelling and writing.

As reading expert Louisa Moats says, “Informed teachers are our best insurance against reading failure. While programs are very helpful tools, programs don’t teach; teachers do.”

As their expertise and knowledge grows, the charter school hopes to work collaboratively with other schools and organizations in the Santa Barbara area to adopt a similar approach. School leaders believe literacy is an essential human right and all students deserve the same access and support.