SUPPORTING EARLY READERS - A Scan of K-3 Literacy Practices in Philadelphia Charter Schools

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Angel

Philadelphia education and civic leaders view early literacy programming as essential to overall improvement in student outcomes. This report examines how Philadelphia charter schools support K-3 early readers and writers, to support knowledge-sharing across schools and inform where investment is most needed. The study uses 30-minute interviews with 38 representatives and charter management organization leaders, describing literacy program strengths, challenges, and additional resources. Findings map the instructional landscape and highlight common approaches and intervention practices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages43

Reading Time1 h 48 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

About PERC

About CPRE

Suggested Citation

Summary

What the Study Found: The Big Picture

SUPPORTING EARLY READERS A Scan of K-3 Literacy Practices in Philadelphia Charter Schools July 2018 RACHEL COMLY, Research For Action RYAN FINK, Consortium for Policy Research in Education MONICA MIELKE, Research For Action ADRIANNE FLACK, Consortium for Policy Research in Education To learn more about PERC, [visit](visit www.phledresearch.org)[ www.phledresearch.org](visit www.phledresearch.org). Young Readers and Writers: A Research Series on Supporting Early Literacy Acknowledgements The authors gratefully acknowledge the intellectual contributions of Ruth Curran Neild, the Director of the Philadelphia Education Research Consortium, and Abigail Gray, Senior Researcher atthe Consortium for Policy Research in Education at the University of Pennsylvania, throughout the research and writing process. At Research for Action, Katie Carter provided helpful feedback on drafts. Megan Morris created the report design and graphics. The authors are also grateful for the insights of charter stakeholders. Philadelphia School Partnership provided feedback and survey data, which helped us to frame our interview questions and understand the landscape of charter school literacy instruction. DawnLynne Kacer from the Charter School Office of the School District of Philadelphia also provided context. Jenny Bogoni, Nancy Scharff, and Lori Severino from Read by 4th, and Laurada Byers, founder of Russell Byers Charter School, provided helpful feedback about interview questions prior to the study. The William Penn Foundation provided funding for this work as part of its goal of supporting early literacy in Philadelphia. The foundation did not exercise editorial control over this report, and the contents ofthe report do not necessarily reflect their views. About PERC The mission of the Philadelphia Education Research Consortium is to provide timely, actionable, rigorous, and non-partisan research on the most pressing issues facing Philadelphia public education. To do this, PERC seeks to engage the region’s colleges and universities, nonprofits, and the Philadelphia public education sector, both charter and non-charter, in respectful, mutually beneficial research-practice partnerships. By providing Philadelphia’s leaders and citizenry with high-quality information about progress, challenges, and effective strategies in education, PERC aims to increase education opportunities and achievement for all Philadelphia students. PERC is an initiative of Research for Action, a nonprofit education research organization based in Philadelphia. About CPRE The Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), headquartered at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, conducts rigorous program evaluation and research studies using qualitative and quantitative methods, advanced survey techniques, and data analysis. CPRE consists of a broad network of leading experts in education, economics, public policy, sociology, and other social fields. This network of premier researchers is committed to advancing educational policy and practice through evidence-based research. Research conducted by CPRE is peer-reviewed and open access. You can access CPRE research via our Scholarly Commons repository at [http://bit.ly/CPREpubs](http://bit.ly/CPREpubs). Suggested Citation APA STYLE: Comly, R., Fink, R., Mielke, M., & Flack A. (2018). Supporting early readers: A scan of K-3 literacy practices in Philadelphia charter schools. Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Education Research Consortium. CHICAGO STYLE: Comly, Rachel, Fink, Ryan, Mielke, Monica, and Adrianne Flack. (2018) . Supporting Early Readers: AScan of K-3 Literacy Practices in Philadelphia Charter Schools. Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Education Research Consortium. Supporting Early Readers: A Scan of K-3 Literacy Practices in Philadelphia Charter Schools Rachel Comly, Ryan Fink, Monica Mielke, and Adrianne Flack • July 2018 Summary In Philadelphia, civic

FAQs

What is the purpose of this study on early literacy in Philadelphia charter schools?

The study examines how charter schools support early readers and writers, enabling knowledge-sharing across schools and identifying areas for investment.

Who participated in the data collection for the report?

Researchers interviewed 38 school representatives and charter management organization leaders serving kindergarten to third grade.

What do the findings indicate about approaches to early literacy programming?

The report finds charter schools use broadly similar approaches, including research-based practices, tiered intervention systems, family engagement, and training and support for teachers.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Angel