English 3D: Moreno Valley Unified School District (2013–2015)

Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) is one of the largest school districts in California, serving nearly 35,000 K–12 students in 43 schools. Per district records, MVUSD is an urban-fringe district and in 2011 had Riverside County’s lowest high school graduation rate and highest dropout rate. Approximately one-fourth of its students are classified as English learners (ELs), with 83% of students qualifying for free and reduced-price meals. Among the district’s ELs, 88% are long-term English learners (LTELs). Sixty-six percent of the student body is Hispanic, 17% is African American, 10% is White, and 4% is Asian.

The California League of Schools, in partnership with MVUSD, Dr. Kate Kinsella, and others, were awarded an Investing in Innovation (i3) grant to assist middle school ELs on their path to college success through intensive school and family interventions and engagement. The project, known as Families for College (FFC), works with a cohort of 325 students and their families, most of whom are classified as long-term ELs. Beginning in the fall of 2013, the project began working with a cohort of students from the start of sixth grade. The project will continue to work with these students and families through the fall of their tenth-grade school year. One of the primary goals of the project is to increase the language and writing achievement of the students through clear, consistent EL- and LTEL-focused academic supports. Key features of these academic supports are the implementation of the Common Core State Standards-aligned English 3D curriculum, combined with rigorous teacher training and support provided directly by the author, Dr. Kate Kinsella, and her associate. An anticipated outcome of the FFC project is to increase the number of students who reclassify as Fluent English Proficient by the end of eighth grade in order for them to gain greater access to the high school core curriculum.