Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity Series Part 3: Worcester Public Schools' New Literacy Curriculum

In the 2023-2024 school year, Worcester Public Schools adopted a new literacy curriculum for elementary school students called Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA). What is Amplify CKLA and why was it chosen? What do teachers and students have to say about it? What is the district doing to support its effective implementation? 

We’ll answer these questions and more in the third installment of Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity, a series of community forums hosted by the Worcester Education Equity Roundtable exploring student learning and achievement in the Worcester Public Schools. 

Part 3: Worcester Public Schools’ New Literacy Curriculum will begin with a presentation from Amanda Taylor, WPS Elementary ELA Curriculum Specialist, Colleen Murray, WPS Literacy Instructional Coach, and Kate Aselton, WPS Literacy Instructional Coach, on the process the district underwent to select Amplify CKLA, what the curriculum looks like at each grade level, educators’ and students’ experiences with it to date, and the district’s strategies for supporting implementation.

Following the presentation, Ms. Taylor will be joined by Caleb Encarnacion-Rivera, WPS Director of Equity, Cultivation, and Recruitment, for a panel discussion moderated by WEC Executive Director Jennifer Davis Carey. They will explore how the district is integrating culturally responsive teaching and learning into the rollout of the new literacy curriculum.

This event is designed for anyone invested in education, including parents, families, educators, policymakers, and community advocates. Live Spanish interpretation services will be provided. 

Program Overview:

• Welcome | Jennifer Davis Carey, Worcester Education Collaborative
• Amplify CKLA | Amanda Taylor, Colleen Murray, and Kate Aselton, Worcester Public Schools
• Panel Discussion and Q&A| Amanda Taylor and Caleb Encarnacion-Rivera, Worcester Public Schools

Sponsored by the Worcester Education Collaborative and the Worcester Education Equity Roundtable, this event is intended to help our community work together towards a stronger, more inclusive educational system for our children and our community. The Worcester Education Equity Roundtable is generously supported by The Nellie Mae Education Foundation.