Contact - Naomi York - nyork1@pghschools.org

K-5 ELA Vision:

All students will develop the literacy knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to graduate as college, career-, and life-ready individuals, equipped to successfully pursue a two- or four-year college degree, earn workforce certifications, and thrive as engaged, productive members of society.

K–5 ELA Mission:

The K–5 English Language Arts Department of Pittsburgh Public Schools is committed to providing a student-centered, innovative, and high-quality literacy education that empowers all learners to achieve academic excellence. Through engaging, equitable, and rigorous literacy experiences grounded in evidence-based practices, we will develop strong foundations in reading, writing, speaking, listening, language, and critical thinking to inspire a lifelong love of literacy and prepare students for future success in school and beyond.

K-5 ELA Goals:

1. By the end of the 26-27 school year, 51.77% of students in grades 3-8 will be proficient on the state’s PSSA English Language Arts assessment.
2. By the end of the 26-27 school year, racial achievement disparities between African American and white students in grades 3-8 based on proficiency on the state’s PSSA English Language Arts assessment will decrease to 29.38%.
3. By the end of the 26-27 school year, 36.05% of students with IEPs in grades 3-8 will be proficient on the state’s PSSA English Language Arts assessment.
4. Teachers will implement high-quality literacy instruction grounded in the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy practices to develop students’ foundational skills in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, language comprehension, and writing.
5. Teachers will create inclusive, student-centered literacy environments that provide equitable access to rigorous instruction, meaningful texts, and opportunities for authentic reading, writing, speaking, and listening experiences.
6. Teachers will utilize screening, diagnostic, and classroom assessment data to monitor progress, identify student needs, and provide differentiated instruction and targeted support to ensure all students make meaningful literacy growth.
7. Teachers will foster strong partnerships with families and school communities to support literacy development and promote a joyful culture of reading, language, and lifelong learning both inside and outside of the classroom.
8. K-5 ELA Teachers will complete state-mandated Structured Literacy / Science of Reading courses. 

 

K-5 Resources

• Open Court Reading
• Benson Handwriting
• Imagine Learning - My Path
• Imagine Learning - Language & Literacy

Scope and Sequence Documents

• Grade K
• Grade 1
• Grade 2
• Grade 3
• Grade 4
• Grade 5

 

 

 

Contact Katie George - kgeorge1@pghschools.org

6-8 ELA Vision:

Pittsburgh Public Schools’ 6–8 literacy classrooms will empower every adolescent to become a confident, skilled, and critical reader, writer, speaker, and thinker through rigorous, culturally responsive instruction that prepares students for success in school and beyond.

 6-8 ELA Mission:

The 6–8 English and Language Arts Department of Pittsburgh Public Schools is committed to high-quality, student-centered instruction that accelerates adolescent literacy growth through evidence-based practices. Through rigorous core instruction, targeted differentiation, and access to grade-level complex texts, we ensure all students develop the skills, comprehension, critical thinking, and communication needed to thrive academically and beyond.

6-8 ELA Department Goals

• Ensure all students engage in rigorous, student-centered ELA instruction grounded in evidence-based practices and consistent access to grade-level complex texts.
• Strengthen instructional practice using data to guide targeted small-group instruction, intervention, and enrichment that meet diverse adolescent learning needs.
• Strengthen systems for formative assessment, progress monitoring, and data analysis to inform instruction, intervention, and continuous improvement.
• Create literacy experiences that foster student agency, engagement, and identity through meaningful discussion, authentic reading and writing, and culturally responsive texts and practices.
• Ensure students develop the literacy skills, habits, and independence needed for success in high school and beyond.

 

6-8 Resources

• SAVVAS - My Perspectives
• Imagine Learning - My Path
• Board Approved Trade Books
• Course Scope and Sequence

 

Contact Dr. Lisa Pickett - lpickett1@pghschools.org

9-12 ELA Vison

We envision 9–12 ELA classrooms where every student experiences literacy as meaningful, empowering, and connected to their identity, voice, and future. Through equitable, culturally responsive instruction grounded in rigor, joy, critical thinking, and authentic engagement, we strive to ensure all students develop the skills, confidence, and college and career readiness needed to succeed in school and beyond.

9-12 ELA Mission

The mission of the Pittsburgh Public Schools 9–12 English Language Arts Department is to provide all students with equitable, rigorous, and culturally responsive literacy instruction that develops critical thinkers, effective communicators, and college and career ready learners through authentic reading, writing, discussion, and inquiry experiences that empower student voice, identity, joy, and academic success.

9–12 ELA Department Goals

• Increase student achievement in reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication through rigorous, standards-aligned literacy instruction.
• Strengthen equitable and culturally responsive instructional practices that affirm student identity, voice, and lived experiences.
• Expand opportunities for authentic reading, writing, discussion, inquiry, and collaborative learning across all grade levels.
• Support the development of college and career-ready learners who can effectively analyze, communicate, problem solve, and engage with complex texts and ideas.
• Utilize data-informed instructional practices and targeted supports to address student needs and improve literacy outcomes for all learners.
• Build educator capacity through ongoing professional learning, collaboration, coaching, and instructional support focused on high-quality literacy instruction

High School Materials

• SAVVAS - My Perspectives
• Imagine Learning - My Path
• Board Approved Trade Books
• Click here for English 1-4 Course Scope and Sequence Documents

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is Pittsburgh Public Schools' framework for ensuring every student receives the literacy instruction and support needed to achieve academic success. Through high-quality, evidence-based core instruction, universal screening, ongoing progress monitoring, and targeted interventions, MTSS helps educators identify and respond to students' strengths and needs. Grounded in the Science of Reading and aligned to district curriculum and assessment practices, our MTSS framework promotes equitable access to instruction and intervention so that all students can develop the literacy skills necessary to thrive in school and beyond.

 

 

Click here for our Student Support Services Department.

The Pittsburgh Public Schools Core Literacy Course Pathway provides an overview of the English Language Arts courses students experience from kindergarten through grade 12. Grounded in rigorous academic standards and research-based instructional practices, these courses are designed to build strong reading, writing, speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills. This resource helps students, families, and educators understand the progression of literacy learning across grade levels and the foundational knowledge and skills that prepare students for success in college, career, and life.

Grade Level	Courses
Grade K	Reading
Grade 1	Reading, Spelling
Grade 2	Reading, Handwriting, English, Spelling
Grade 3	Reading, Handwriting, English, Spelling
Grade 4	Reading, Handwriting, English, Spelling
Grade 5	Reading, Handwriting, English, Spelling
Grade 6	Communications 6
Grade 7	Communications 7
Grade 8	Communications 8
Grade 9	English 1 English 1 CAS
Grade 10	English 2 English 2 CAS
Grade 11	English 3 AP Language and Composition AP Literature and Composition
Grade 12	English 4 English 4: African American Literature AP Language and Composition AP Literature and Composition

 

Contact Meredith "Maya" Arnold  marnold1@pghschools.org 

The Vision Statement

To guarantee that every student in our district achieves proficient, lifelong literacy and eliminate literacy gaps by fostering an empowering ecosystem of evidence-based, structured instruction and intensive, targeted support.

The Mission Statement

The District-Level Reading Specialists serve as champions for systemic literacy excellence, deeply rooted in the mastery of MTSS and intensive Tier 3 interventions. We deliver on this commitment by:

Advancing Evidence-Based Practice: Leading the district-wide implementation and alignment of Structured Literacy frameworks and foundational programs, such as Reading Horizons.

Elevating Educator Capability: Designing and delivering rigorous professional development, modeling high-impact instructional practices, and providing expert resources to strengthen classroom instruction and intervention delivery.

Driving Equity Through MTSS Mastery: Directing deep data analysis to monitor student progress, overseeing multi-tiered systems of support, and ensuring precision-targeted Tier 3 interventions reach the district’s most vulnerable readers.

Program Goals

1. Ensure 100% of district elementary schools implement the foundational Reading Horizons program with high fidelity by the end of the school year, verified through standardized district walk-through tools and implementation rubrics.
2. Align all supplemental district reading interventions to ensure strict adherence to Structured Literacy principles (explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction).
3. Develop and maintain a centralized, digital "Literacy Hub" of evidence-based resources, lesson-modeling videos, and explicit intervention routines to serve as an accessible district standard for all educators.
4. Lead district-level data-triangulation meetings following each universal screening window (Fall, Winter, Spring) to identify systemic gaps, track the growth of historically underserved student subgroups, and adjust district resources accordingly.
5. Partner with school leadership teams to refine Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) protocols, ensuring that student placement in Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading interventions is strictly data-dependent and monitored bi-weekly for rate of improvement.

Contact Meredith "Maya" Arnold  marnold1@pghschools.org 

Program Vision

Through high-impact coaching and innovative, research-based professional development, Pittsburgh Public Schools educators will become culturally responsive practitioners who consistently use an equity lens to deliver rigorous, student-centered literacy instruction—ensuring all students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to graduate college-, career-, and life-ready.

Program Mission

In alignment with the K–12 ELA Department’s commitment to excellence, the Literacy Academic Coaching Program strives for every educator to engage in job-embedded, high-quality professional learning to build teacher capacity and eliminate learning gaps within a psychologically safe environment. Academic coaches partner with literacy educators to implement equitable, culturally responsive instructional experiences, empowering all learners to achieve academic excellence and succeed in all aspects of life.

Program Goals

The objective of the Literacy Academic Coaching Program is for academic coaches to work collaboratively with teachers to deepen content knowledge, enhance pedagogical skills, and refine classroom practice through continuous, job-embedded learning experiences. Ultimately, the impact of academic coaching will increase the literacy proficiency of students, eliminate racial and disability disparities in performance levels, and ensure all students graduate high school prepared to successfully pursue a two- or four-year college degree, earn workforce certifications, and thrive as engaged, productive members of society.

Families play a vital role in developing strong readers, writers, and lifelong learners. This page provides resources, tools, and strategies to help parents and caregivers support literacy learning at home. Whether you are looking for reading activities, tips for building literacy skills, information about district curriculum and assessments, or ways to encourage a love of reading, these resources are designed to strengthen the home-school partnership and support every student's success.

CORE RESOURCE PARENT SUPPORT

• Open Court Reading Parent Support (K-5)
• SAVVAS Parent Support Center (6-12)

Reading at Home

• Tips for reading aloud with children
• Questions to ask before, during, and after reading
• Reading comprehension strategies
• Building vocabulary at home

• Reading Ready Caregiver Guide

• NCIL Literacy Skill Checklist for Caregivers

• Summer reading resources

Grade Level Expectations

• Grade-level literacy expectations PreK-5
• Grade-level literacy expectations 6-12

Assessment Information

• Understanding DIBELS/Acadience results
• Understanding PSSA ELA scores
• Pennsylvania Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) information
• Understanding Screening and Assessment
• Questions families can ask during conferences

Family Literacy Activities

• Games to Support Early Literacy Skills – Rhode Island Department of Education

• REL Southeast Family Involvement Guides

• Florida Center for Reading Research Student Activities

• Strong Readers: Mississippi

• Louisiana Believes: Family Literacy and Engagement

• Literacy at Home: Digital Children’s Literacy Initiative

 

• Organizations that provide books for free: 
  • Reach Out and Read
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
  • Little Free Libraries
  • Children’s eBooks on Project Gutenberg
  • The Spanish Experiment

Pittsburgh Public Schools provides students with access to a variety of digital resources that support literacy learning both in and out of the classroom. Through Clever, students can explore engaging books, articles, research tools, and learning platforms that strengthen reading, writing, vocabulary, research, and critical thinking skills. Whether discovering a new favorite book, investigating a topic of interest, or building academic skills, these resources empower students to learn independently, pursue their passions, and grow as lifelong readers and learners.

Elementary School (K–5)

⭐ Starfall

• Early literacy, phonics, fluency, and foundational reading skills
• Great for emerging readers and independent practice

⭐ Time for Kids

• Engaging nonfiction articles
• Builds vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension

⭐ Sora

• Access to ebooks and audiobooks
• Supports independent reading and reading stamina

⭐ Discovery Education

• Videos, articles, and interactive learning experiences
• Supports literacy across content areas

⭐ World Book Online

• Age-appropriate encyclopedia and research tools
• Helps students build research and informational reading skills

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Middle School (6–8)

⭐ CommonLit

• High-quality fiction and nonfiction texts
• Reading comprehension and vocabulary development
• Supports classroom learning and independent practice

⭐ Sora

• Ebooks and audiobooks aligned to student interests
• Encourages independent reading

⭐ Time for Kids

• Current events and informational reading

⭐ World Book Online

• Research projects and inquiry-based learning

⭐ Typing.com

• Keyboarding and digital communication skills
• Supports writing fluency in digital environments

⭐ Discovery Education

• Multimedia resources that strengthen content-area literacy

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High School (9–12)

⭐ CommonLit

• Complex texts and reading comprehension practice
• College and career readiness skills

⭐ Sora

• Access to a wide range of literature and informational texts
• Audiobooks for flexible reading options

⭐ New York Times

• Current events, opinion pieces, and multimedia journalism
• Builds critical thinking, media literacy, and analytical reading skills

⭐ Power Library

• Pennsylvania's online research library
• Databases, journals, primary sources, and reference materials

⭐ World Book Online

• Research and reference resources

⭐ Typing.com

• Keyboarding and workplace communication skills

Pittsburgh Public Schools is committed to strengthening literacy outcomes through meaningful partnerships with community organizations, institutions, and families. By collaborating with local libraries, universities, literacy-focused nonprofits, and community agencies, the District expands access to high-quality learning opportunities, resources, and experiences that support reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking. These partnerships help create a culture of literacy beyond the classroom, ensuring that students and families have the tools and support needed to foster lifelong learning and academic success.