Program Overview

ELITE is an after school targeted reading program for 1st–3rd grade students designed to provide evidence-based support aligned with recommendations from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. These recommendations emphasize teaching foundational reading skills and offer actionable steps to overcome common learning barriers.

The overarching goal of the ELITE Program is to provide additional support to students, facilitating their progress towards achieving a third-grade reading level by the time they reach the end of the third grade school year. Research suggests that reading at the third grade level by the end of the school year is a strong predictor of high school graduation. Studies have shown that students who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school than students who are reading proficiently.

ELITE is built on a foundation of culturally conscious literature that reflects the diverse experiences of Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS) students, with a particular focus on BIPOC students and multilingual learners. By incorporating stories that celebrate cultural heritage and linguistic diversity, the program not only strengthens reading skills but also fosters a deeper connection to learning, expanding students’ worldviews while addressing key literacy gaps.

Objectives

ELITE focuses on foundational reading skills crucial for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. The program endeavors to support: 

• Developing language skills
• Phonics and phonemic awareness
• Word recognition strategies through engaging with diverse, culturally conscious literature 

Curriculum Overview

Each unit is grounded in a specific domain of the Social Justice Standards by Learning for Justice, encompassing Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action. These units will center around culturally conscious literature that addresses at least one of the Social Justice Standards within its respective domain. 

"The ELITE program is one of the most promising innovations taking place in Sonoma County education. By targeting students who need the most support in a culturally enriching way, we are seeing students’ journey to literacy being accelerated and a love of reading fostered." - Dr. Amie Carter, Sonoma County Office of Education Superintendent