Welcome!

Cultivating Readers is free professional development for elementary schools wanting to ensure all their students become proficient readers. Over the course of four years, local education agency (LEA) and building administrators, teachers, instructional coaches and parents and families participate in training and ongoing support provided by the Idaho State Department of Education and their expert partners, including the National Center on Improving Literacy. Learn more about Cultivating Readers below.

The SDE partners with Idaho LEAs and schools throughout the state to support school staff to improve reading for all students, including children who struggle with reading and students with disabilities. Cultivating Readers supports schools by offering training, coaching and follow-up supports over four years with a focus on the following:

  • Improving instructional staffs’ knowledge of the Science of Reading and their ability to use explicit instruction strategies when teaching reading
  • Building schools’ capacity to support their own internal reading coach
  • Supporting schools to strengthen their reading systems
  • Improving parent and family engagement around reading

Review the Cultivating Readers Implementation Guide 2022-2023 for more information.

Cultivating Readers is for principals, special education directors, general and special education instructional staff, reading coaches, and parents and families who teach reading to students in kindergarten through third grade.

Small and rural LEAs and schools, including charter schools, are encouraged to participate. Often, small LEA/school staff play multiple roles in the project (e.g., special education director or principal is also the coach). Cultivating Readers works with each school to determine their needs and to differentiate supports.

Review the Cultivating Readers Implementation Guide 2022-2023 for more information.

Applications to participate beginning in the 2024-25 school year are open from January 19th through April 5th.

Application instructions for LEAS not currently participating.
Application instructions for LEAS currently participating that want to add schools






Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are open from January 19 - April 5, 2024.

Registration for the 2024-25 informational webinar coming soon.

Submit Application


Resources

Coming soon
Coming Soon


Search Cultivating Readers Resources


Contact Us

Shannon dunstan

Results Driven Accountability & Early Childhood Coordinator
Idaho State Department of Education, Special Education
Phone: 208-332-6908
sdunstan@sde.idaho.gov


Lexie Pease

Program Evaluation Coordinator
Idaho State Department of Education, Special Education
Phone: 208-332-6925
apease@sde.idaho.gov