The charter operator IOTA Community Schools, formerly Green Dot Public Schools, has teamed up with the literacy program provider Reading Horizons to enhance reading instruction across four middle and high schools in the Memphis Metro Area, a recent announcement said.¶
The announcement comes shortly after Green Dot rebranded themselves to become IOTA Community Schools. The authorizer currently operates Achievement School District Schools Hillcrest High, Kirby Middle and Wooddale Middle, as well as Bluff City High School under the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission. IOTA stands for “Innovation, Opportunity, Transformation, and Access.”¶
“Because of our intentional focus on academics, IOTA students have an opportunity to graduate from high school more prepared for college and their careers,” IOTA Chief Academic Officer Christina Austin said in a statement. “Our strategic partnership with Reading Horizons ensures IOTA students receive effective, research-based reading instruction, preparing them for success in school and beyond.”¶
According to the announcement, IOTA has adopted Reading Horizons Elevate, a program for teaching foundational reading skills to older learners. It said the program has proven successful across multiple age groups and settings, including intervention, adult education, special education, dyslexia and multilingual learners.¶
The announcement noted that the partnership with Reading Horizons aims to build upon efforts to enhance literacy programming, adding that Tennessee public charter students receive the equivalent of about 34 extra days of reading instruction compared to non-charter counterparts.¶
“IOTA Community Schools is committed to academic opportunity and excellence for each student,” Trisha Thomas, president of Reading Horizons, said in a public statement. “We are excited to be in a strategic partnership to ensure equitable education for all students, regardless of their background. We share a vision for all students in Tennessee to have the foundational reading skills they need to become confident readers and learners.”¶
