BetterLesson has been selected by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) for its Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant Approved Providers List. This qualifies BetterLesson to partner with Nebraska school districts, empowering them to use CLSD grant funds for professional learning services that align with the State’s commitment to advancing literacy outcomes.
The NDE established the approved provider list to ensure that grant-funded professional learning is grounded in the Science of Reading and a Structured Literacy framework, fostering “cohesion and consistency across statewide tools and resources.” Providers were evaluated using the Nebraska Literacy Project Professional Learning Rubric, which outlines the essential components of high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction.
BetterLesson was selected for its comprehensive and actionable professional learning approach, which is designed to create lasting change in classroom instruction. Our model is built on non-negotiable, evidence-based principles that ensure effective literacy instruction for every student.
Key features of BetterLesson’s approved professional learning include:
- Alignment with the Science of Reading: Empowering educators with the cognitive science behind how the brain learns to read, using established frameworks like Scarborough’s Rope and Ehri’s Phases
- Comprehensive Instructional Support: Offering a cohesive series of workshops and job-embedded coaching covering the six core components of reading: How Children Learn to Read, Phonological and Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension
- A Continuous Cycle of Learning: Moving beyond one-off workshops to a sustained cycle of learning, application, and refinement that translates new knowledge directly into classroom practice
- Support for All Learners: Providing practical strategies to support the diverse needs of all students, including those with dyslexia and multilingual learners
- Integration with State Initiatives: The approach is designed to align with and support the Nebraska Multi-tiered System of Support (NeMTSS) framework, providing leaders with tools like Learning Walks to sustain high-quality practices
“We commend the Nebraska Department of Education for its leadership in ensuring every student receives essential, evidence-based literacy instruction,” said Matthew Kennard, CEO of BetterLesson. “We are honored to be named an approved provider and are eager to partner with Nebraska’s districts. Our goal is to make the Science of Reading accessible and actionable, providing educators with the practical strategies and ongoing, job-embedded support they need to transform literacy education for all students”.
Nebraska school districts can partner with BetterLesson to utilize CLSD grant funds for initial training and ongoing professional learning that is ESSA Level III Certified and proven to accelerate student outcomes.
Learn more about how BetterLesson is helping to transform literacy in Nebraska.
About BetterLesson BetterLesson is the premier partner for K-12 states and districts, providing data-driven professional learning and strategic scheduling solutions designed to enhance college and career readiness (CCR) and optimize resource allocation for cost savings.
BetterLesson drives K-12 success by integrating innovative professional learning with strategic scheduling, enabling districts to significantly improve college and career readiness (CCR) while achieving cost efficiencies.
With our help, district leaders build resilient, high-impact teaching and learning systems that are preparing future-ready graduates—and doing so more effectively and efficiently than ever before. Learn more at betterlesson.com.
About Nebraska Comprehensive Literacy State Development Program The Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant, awarded to Nebraska’s Department of Education (NDE), aims to improve literacy skills for children from birth through grade 12, with a focus on disadvantaged students, by funding professional development for educators, high-quality literacy programs, and tutoring initiatives. The grant, part of a federal program, supports evidence-based practices like phonemic awareness, decoding, and reading comprehension, and is designed to help states achieve their literacy goals, such as Nebraska’s target to increase third-grade proficiency by 2030. Learn more at https://www.education.ne.gov/clsd-2/.
Ready to leverage your Nebraska CLSD grant to advance literacy in your district?
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