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Create transformation that lasts.

Embarking on educational change takes heart, intention, and determination. It also requires proven strategies and practical tools. With data, resources, and countless stories of successful implementations to guide us, we can take the first step toward true transformation together.

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Three women sit at a table in a library, engaged in conversation with notebooks and pens in front of them.

Principles for Educational Change Management

Whether you’re looking for transformative change in math, literacy, or science instruction, some essential principles apply across the board. As a teacher, administrator, or community leader, you’ll find these guiding principles can help you manage your new curriculum implementation and help each student reach their potential.

Corey Beil, Instructional Interventionist
“This goes out to the interventionists, coaches, and administrators … support your staff. Lead staff trainings, provide push-in support, model and co-teach so that the staff will see that this is not ‘just another initiative.’ Remember, this is the start of a long, powerful journey. Take small steps, do them well, then use data to move on to the next small step.”

— Corey Beil, Instructional Interventionist

Quakertown Community School District, PA

Leading instructional shifts across all disciplines

Two women review material on a tablet next to a document titled "Literacy Change Management Playbook," featuring a flowchart illustrating k-12 education concepts and the implementation of high-quality instruction materials.

Make the shift to the Science of Reading.

Learn the key steps that will drive the success you need.

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Two pages of a math change management playbook for grades K–12, featuring a cover with teachers and a sample interior page with illustrations of children and math concepts for effective curriculum implementation.

Change in math is different.

Managing change in math doesn’t have to mean starting over. It starts with a few simple shifts.

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Cover and inside page of a document titled "Science Change Management Playbook," featuring photos of adults and children engaged in educational activities with high-quality instruction materials for k-12 education.

Be a science inspiration.

Intentional shifts help transform students into concerned global citizens ready to take on the world. Find out how.

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Let data guide your transformation.

The right data at the right time is crucial in planning lasting instructional change. With specific metrics to guide your implementation, you’ll know exactly how to monitor your progress. Download our literacy assessment infographic as a model for the key data questions to ask at critical points in the school year.

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Achieve implementation success.

Ready to navigate educational implementation with confidence? The following resources will help you discover practical strategies for decision-making, managing change, and engaging stakeholders.

A PDF page titled "The implementation journey" showing five steps, with step one, "Set the vision," highlighted and described in detail at the bottom—ideal for guiding new curriculum in schools or supporting k-12 education initiatives.

Discover five steps to successful implementation.

Balancing decision-making, data collection, and transparent communication doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Discover the five essential steps to making implementation manageable.

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Cover page of a PDF titled "Transforming Leadership: Leveraging Implementation for Impact," showing a woman smiling and talking to others in a meeting room, highlighting the importance of high-quality instruction materials in curriculum implementation.

Think like a leader.

Strategic leadership requires more than sharp management skills. Find out how the leadership brain model can help you, as a district leader, connect initiatives with your broader vision.

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Turn plans into results.

Educational change requires intentional effort. Key leadership imperatives can provide the framework you need for effective implementation.

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What district leaders are saying

“In the past we’ve adopted a resource and we’ve left it to the teachers and the buildings to use and to put into practice. I was determined that we needed to do more than just that for both our teachers and our students. That is really where…the leadership brain concept has come into play. [It] provided the framework and key questions that I needed so that I could reflect, process, and determine what was next throughout the first year of implementation.”

—Lori Riehle, Assistant Director of Curriculum, Northwest Local School District, OH

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What district leaders are saying

“Through the guidance and collaboration of the Amplify Team, our stakeholders participated in thoughtful conversations, relevant hands-on learning, and the development of clear guidelines for moving forward [with Amplify CKLA]. This process led to the creation of our district commitments, which, together with the six leadership imperatives, remain central to the progress we continue to make today.”

—Kristina Tucker, Coordinator of English Language Arts and Social Studies, Richland School District, WA

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What district leaders are saying

“[My advice to other leaders is to] stop trying to fix everything at once. Dig deep with systematic analysis to find your one high leverage problem; then build your entire system around solving it. You can have all the coaching and support in the world, but if you’re not focused on the right problem, those systems won’t translate to classroom impact.”

—Susan Rawlings, Assistant Principal, Charleston County School District, SC

Educational leaders share their success.

Find out how educational leaders have transformed their districts through successful implementation, revealing the commitment and strategic approach that led to real academic improvements.

A document titled "Building sustainable implementation" by Amplify, detailing Richland School District's approach to collaborative commitments for k-12 education, with an orange "PDF" label on the top right.

Change needs commitment.

Change is achievable when everyone commits to the process. See how one district turned collaboration into a successful implementation of Amplify CKLA.

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Existing strengths need focused direction.

Strong district foundations require intentional focus. Learn how systematic analysis helped one district turn comprehensive resources into meaningful impact for teachers.

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Shared responsibility transforms implementation.

Managing implementation alone limits success. Discover how one district leader used stakeholder mapping to create shared leadership and building-level ownership.

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See implementation in action.

Learn how one district achieved positive test results across grades 1–5 within their first year of adopting Amplify CKLA.

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Cover page of a PDF titled "Driving impact through implementation science," featuring an outline of Washington state, with the Richland School District highlighted and a focus on curriculum implementation in schools.

Strategic change delivers results.

Results happen when change is managed strategically. Check out how one district turned thoughtful planning into successful Amplify CKLA adoption.

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Curriculum evaluation leads to confident decisions.

Explore how one district implemented Amplify CKLA (after piloting seven different programs!) and achieved powerful kindergarten reading gains.

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Cover page of a PDF titled "Driving impact through implementation science," featuring an outline of South Carolina and highlighting Charleston County School District's curriculum implementation and teacher resources.

Regular communication fosters growth.

Structured coaching support transforms implementation outcomes. Find out how regular communication helped one district achieve consistency and sustained student growth with Amplify CKLA.

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Preparation creates lasting results.

Comprehensive training creates the foundation for sustained success. Read about how strategic summer preparation and ongoing professional learning helped one county achieve significant academic improvements.

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Introducing our 2023 Science of Reading Star Award finalists!

Roll out the red carpet and shine those spotlights—it’s time to meet the 25 finalists for our 2023 Science of Reading Star Awards!

These educators and leaders help light the way for the next generation. They’ve implemented Science of Reading principles and guided their students toward lifelong literacy. They’ve demonstrated expert change management and professional development. Get ready to meet some of the brightest minds in education as we celebrate their achievements and see what makes them truly stellar!

Join our virtual event and awards program on May 23.

But first…meet our 2023 finalists! Below, you’ll hear from the nominees themselves, as well as the colleagues who nominated them, about what makes them stars.

The Changemaker Award

For exemplary leadership in guiding a district through a shift to the Science of Reading.

And the finalists are…

Heather Campbell
Learning Coach, Sunset Elementary, Washington County District, UT
Why she’s a star: “Heather’s philosophy that all students can learn to read if given proper instruction has changed the data. Our school made the change and the data is showing our students are thriving.” —Shelli Campbell, Learning Coach

Javonna Mack
Lead Content Teacher, Caddo Parish School, LA
Why she’s a star: “Whether working with students or teachers, Mrs. Mack keeps best practices grounded in the Science of Reading at the forefront. She constantly strives to build teachers’ expertise in teaching students to read through content-rich professional learning communities, often on Saturdays or after the workday has ended.” —Shannon Southwell, Lead Content Teacher

Aaron Jura
Reading Interventionist, Bloomingdale, IL School District
Why he’s a star: “Aaron has been the catalyst for our entire district embracing this shift to the Science of Reading, and we are just at the beginning of this amazing journey.” —Nicole Gabany, Reading Interventionist

Nicole Peterson
Director of PreK–8 Education, Sampson County Schools, NC
Why she’s a star: “She has created, initiated, implemented, monitored, evaluated, and adjusted processes and systems to ensure that teachers have access to resources, training, materials, and professional development to ensure that all students gain equitable access to high-quality, evidence-based instruction.” —Matthew McLean, Director, PreK–8th Grade Education

Virginia Quinn-Mooney
Teacher, Northville Elementary School, CT
Why she’s a star: “Virginia has gone from one person with a personal commitment to advancing her literacy knowledge. She has now impacted countless educators, parents, etc., with her tenacity and learning journey.” —Nicole Gregory, Teacher

The Data Dynamo Award

For commendable use of data to align a literacy system and maximize student achievement

Shennoy Barnett
Kindergarten Teacher, South Smithfield Elementary, NC
Why she’s a star: “My objective is to help as many children as I can become fluent readers and critical thinkers. As a literacy specialist here for just four months, I made great strides with literacy with my students.” —Shennoy Barnett, Kindergarten Teacher

Anne Elizabeth Carter
Kindergarten Teacher, Wake County District, NC
Why she’s a star: “Through systematic and explicit phonics instruction as well as targeted language comprehension instruction—using texts that incorporate science and social studies content as well as build knowledge systematically—my kiddos were TRULY learning how to read accurately and fluently.” —David Gaudet, Principal

Bethani Ploegstra
Kindergarten Teacher, Union Colony Elementary, CO
Why she’s a star: “She takes data from mCLASS® DIBELS®, Lexia, and SchoolPace (part of our reading curriculum), as well as formative feedback from what she hears and sees students doing daily in the classroom, to immediately adjust what she presents next to students, whether individually, in small groups, or whole class.” —Mandy Bailey, Assistant Principal

The Knowledge Builder Award

For showing the world that the Science of Reading is more than just phonics, and empowers students with knowledge from elementary to middle school

Corey Beil
Instructional Interventionist, Quakertown Community School District, PA
Why he’s a star: “He incorporated literacy into his daily math instruction by providing our students with opportunities to understand and connect with the content more deeply. Our students were exposed to practicing literacy concepts while expanding their mathematical knowledge and foundational understanding.” —Julianne Pennabaker, Teacher

Kim Smaw
Principal, Rosalyn Yalow Charter School, NY
Why she’s a star: “She was able to persuade the learning community to adopt the Science of Reading, firmly convincing them that this curriculum could empower students to gain rich learning experiences.” —Deirdre Frost, Reading Intervention Specialist

Angie Dutton
Instructional Coach, Onslow County Schools, NC
Why she’s a star: “Her positive attitude about the Science of Reading is contagious and is most likely why other educators feel comfortable reaching out to her for questions and guidance.” —Stacey Horne, Instructional Coach

Nicole Brodie
ELA Grade 7 Teacher, Long Middle School, GA
Why she’s a star: “She encourages her students to use their [voices] for change and impact and supports them in their learning process academically, [socially, and emotionally].”
—Renee Dawson, Grade 7 English Language Arts Teacher

The Intervention Innovator Award

For admirable use of intervention strategies to get at-risk readers back on track

Suzanne Maddox
RTI Teacher, Robertson County Schools, TN
Why she’s a star: “Mrs. Maddox reviewed individual student data, worked with teachers, and began using CKLA Skills and the intervention materials provided with this curriculum to continue a sounds-first approach to meeting the individual needs of students.” —Brooke Callis, RTI Teacher

Sara Thornton
Reading Interventionist, Senior Team Lead, Schmitt Elementary, CO
Why she’s a star: “Sara’s enthusiasm for and dedication to her work has been an inspiration to all involved and has resulted in a successful transition to the Science of Reading—as evidenced by our students’ amazing academic growth!” —Hayley Gunter, Reading Interventionist, Senior Team Lead

Markaya Aga
Reading Interventionist, Merit Academy, CO
Why she’s a star: “Since she has come on board at our school, the mindset around literacy and the growth of our programming [has improved] ten-fold. We need more educators like Markaya!” —Allison Hanson, Reading Interventionist

The Language Luminary Award

For outstanding success in developing the skills and strengths of emergent bilingual students

Wanda Ramirez
Grade 2 Teacher, El Sol Science and Arts Academy, CA
Why she’s a star: “We used to emphasize to students that what they know in one language cannot be used in the other language. Now, as a dual-immersion educator, I have the opportunity to change that mindset, teach my students to embrace their native [language], and empower them to use their entire linguistic ability. It’s a very powerful thing to be able to do.” —Wanda Ramirez, Grade 2 Teacher

Esmeralda Martinez
Kindergarten Teacher, Compass Community Schools, TN
Why she’s a star: “She has consistently worked on improving her teaching methods, tried new ways to engage the class, and worked diligently to support all of our students.” —Rachel, Marinari, Teacher

Christine Black
ESL Teacher, North Dover Elementary School, NJ
Why she’s a star: “We have a rapidly expanding ESL population, and Mrs. Black works tirelessly to ensure that her students are expanding their ELA skills in accordance with the major tenets of the Science of Reading.” —Dawn Gawalis, ESL Teacher

Rookie of the Year Award

For showing the world that the Science of Reading is more than just phonics, and empowers students with knowledge from elementary to middle school

Caitlyn Cockram
Teacher, Patrick County Schools, VA
Why she’s a star: “We have offered professional development in vocabulary and implementing SOR strategies, and Caitlyn is always one of the first teachers to sign up. She is dedicated to improving student achievement through research and evidence-based practices.” —Callie Wheeler, Teacher

Andrea Mason
Academic Interventionist, County Line Elementary School, GA
Why she’s a star: “Making the shift from balanced literacy to the Science of Reading hasn’t always been easy. But I continue to research and implement these best practices with my students because I can see that they are now on a path to becoming strong readers.” —Jennifer Ezell, Academic Interventionist

Mallory Pendergast
Phonics Teacher, Literacy Interventionist, Circle City Prep, IN
Why she’s a star: “As a kindergarten teacher, she led 100% of her scholars to be reading on grade level in the first quarter and maintained that momentum through the first semester.” —Sami Hyde, Senior Instructional Coach

ESSER Ace Award

For notable and innovative use of stimulus funds to help kids rediscover the joy of reading

Stephanie Hurst
District Literacy Specialist, Maple Avenue Elementary, NH
Why she’s a star: “She is also a voice on the utilization of [the] ESSER Fund—using the distribution of funds per federal protocol to ensure that the district’s lowest-performing schools have access to quality instructional materials and professional development all grounded in the Science of Reading.” —Mark Blount, K–12 Literacy Specialist

Callie Wheeler and Sara Vernon
Instructional Coaches, Patrick County Schools, VA
Why Callie’s a star: “Mrs. Wheeler played a key role in creating a culture of literacy within our schools, where the Science of Reading is central to the education of our students.” —Sara Vernon, Instructional Coach
Why Sara’s a star: “Sara has worked tirelessly to make the shift from the vision that was grounded in balanced literacy to one that is now making waves in Southwest Virginia with its Know Better, Do Better, Be Better approach to reading instruction.” —Callie Wheeler, Instructional Coach

Edie Bostic
Literacy Coach, Gallia Local, OH
“As a teacher, district Title I coordinator, elementary principal, and now district literacy coach, she continually champions the students under her care and is passionate about those students receiving the highest levels of instruction.” —Leslie Henry, Principal

Inspired? We are! Register to join our May 23 Science of Reading Star Awards virtual ceremony!

More to explore

Learn with and from other top-notch educators like you through our family of podcasts.

Data’s essential role in your Science of Reading implementation

Support teachers and students in working toward literacy goals by leading with data as you shift to the Science of Reading. With tools like ongoing progress monitoring and a robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports, we’ll show you how data can give your students the literacy instruction they deserve.

Building buy-in for change—with data

You can use literacy data to harness buy-in for a paradigm shift, monitor student progress, and support your transition to the Science of Reading. But which data measures best identify areas for growth and reveal the path to student achievement?

Our free ebook, The Story That Data Tells, will help you take the first steps in using data to guide your journey toward impactful change..

“I had to dig into and learn: What is [the Science of Reading] all about? How are we gonna be using this data instructionally, and then take that data and use it with our kids? So that’s really how we got the ball rolling.”

—Corey Beil, Interventionist and Instructional Coach

Quaker Community School District, Pennsylvania

Getting started with a data-driven literacy implementation

As any experienced educator can agree, change is not straightforward in the classroom. This is especially true when it comes to shifting to the Science of Reading, a process that requires meticulous planning, open communication, and—most importantly—data.

Discover which data to focus on throughout the school year, and how to use it to direct your implementation—whether you’re just starting the shift, or already implementing the Science of Reading.

Align your MTSS to the Science of Reading

Learn more about MTSS in literacy principles and how to align it with the Science of Reading.

The five guiding principles for an effective MTSS

To provide your students with literacy instruction that meets their needs, you need seamless planning and plenty of forethought. Deliver the instruction, assessment, and personalized learning your students deserve with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports grounded in data and the Science of Reading.

Read about the five guiding principles that can help you align your MTSS with the Science of Reading in our free ebook Systems of Success: Getting Started With a Multi-Tiered System of Supports Aligned to the Science of Reading.

Review the five guiding principles

An effective MTSS framework requires collaboration from all stakeholders (such as teachers, administrators, and caregivers) to ensure students have access to the right instructional support at the right time.

Frequent collection and interpretation of high-quality data is essential to identifying student needs, monitoring progress, and guiding decision-making. Universal screening and progress monitoring data are used to evaluate the effectiveness of all tiers in an MTSS, and to identify students at risk.

An MTSS provides increasing levels of support for students when they need it. It also focuses on prevention first to reduce the need for intervention later.

Implementing evidence-based instruction and interventions with fidelity improves outcomes for all students. A focus on all students, not just those in need of additional support, ensures that all students can access high-quality instruction.

In an MTSS framework, decisions are based on research and the constantly evolving needs of all students and schools.

Season 5, Episode 5: Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports

Hear from educator Brittney Bills, Ed.D., as she discusses her districts’ experience learning to use data, avoid burnout, and sustain ongoing improvements.

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What Does Data Tell Us? Building Buy-In and Determining Areas of Need With Data

Data can paint a clear picture of where your students are, where they need to go, and how the Science of Reading can get them there. Hear from Amplify Executive Director of Learning Science Danielle Damico about the story that data tells, how to use data to build buy-in, and the kind of data you should be collecting to ensure a successful implementation.

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Starting Your Science of Reading Shift With Screening: How to Use Assessment Data as a Building Block of MTSS

Screening and assessment data can drive MTSS-aligned change management in your district, supporting you as you navigate and sustain lasting transformation. Learn more about the importance of universal screening in your literacy implementation.

Watch now 

Welcome, Florida middle school educators!

Amplify ELA Florida is the program built for Florida middle school teachers and students. We designed the program to help ensure the B.E.S.T standards are covered; the skills are taught; the test is prepped for; and your students are scaffolded and encouraged. We want you to spend your time bringing the text to life, making the classroom hum, and letting every student know you are paying attention to their growth.

Amplify ELA Florida Program Guide

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A teacher assists two students with a laptop in a classroom, one wearing a hijab, conveying a supportive educational environment.

Instruction matters

Florida’s new standards have been crafted to give your students the B.E.S.T. Amplify ELA Florida’s lessons explore the most compelling aspect of a text and target the standards that best support that analysis through reading, writing, and communication. These key standards are identified as the lesson’s Spotlight benchmark.  Strategic connections are attained in the program through:

  • Florida model texts including rich literature and compelling non-fiction, taught in engaging new ways for today’s learners.
  • Benchmark stacks that build connections within lessons and across units.
  • Foundational instruction that targets key standards and multiple learning modes.
  • Writing that builds directly from reading complex text and is evaluated by Amplify’s Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE).
  • Reading with the B.E.S.T. Modules have been built to guide teachers and students as they begin to work with Florida’s new reading standards, providing an introduction to each grade-level B.E.S.T. Reading Benchmark. (Example module: Grade 6, Understanding Rhetoric)

Knowledge matters

Texts in the Amplify ELA Florida Edition curriculum cover a wide range of topics, themes, and genres with differentiated supports that ensure that all students can work through each reading and lesson. Taken as a whole, the texts show students a diverse picture of the world and help foster a lifelong love of reading. Comprehension develops as students engage with literary and informational text selections that are complex, rich, and meaningful. 

Texts were selected for Amplify ELA Florida Edition using the following criteria: 

  • Text complexity as defined by qualitative, quantitative, and reader and task measurements as required by the B.E.S.T. Standards and the Amplify Text Complexity Index
  • Balance of literary and informational texts
  • Varied representation of genres: novels, plays, poetry, biographies, and other full-length texts
  • Diverse cultures, perspectives, and authors
  • Engaging texts that extend learning and support students as they build knowledge
  • Grade-appropriate texts, with scaffolding and compelling activities to support student engagement with 100% authentic texts
  • A library with more than 700 complete books, both classic and contemporary, encompassing a wide range of genres, topics, and cultural perspectives
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Curriculum matters

Amplify ELA Florida is a blended curriculum designed specifically for grades 6–8. The heart of every lesson is the text. Each grade includes six units centered on literary or informational texts, delivered in several forms of media. Your classroom will also benefit from two or three immersive, project-based experiences and a dedicated Story Writing unit.

  • Full B.E.S.T. coverage: Standards are clearly labeled in each lesson, so teachers can save time planning and get back to what they love: teaching. Also included are Benchmark Modules that support teachers’ and students’ introduction to the new standards for Florida.
  • Five levels of differentiation: Based on each student’s needs and the performance measures within Amplify ELA reports, a teacher can choose the differentiation level that’s the right fit for everyone.
  • Embedded Assessments: Teachers benefit from uninterrupted instructional time and a continuously updated picture of each student’s progress with key skills and standards.
  • Powerful feedback tools: Comprehensive tools help teachers maximize both the quantity and quality of feedback.
  • Robust reporting: Our reporting app offers information on student progress to help inform instructional decisions.

All in one place: Embedded teacher support, differentiation tools, student data, text, and other curriculum features—they’re all right there.

Materials

Amplify ELA Florida Edition is a blended curriculum that seamlessly integrates print and digital resources to be used in any learning environment. The resources are designed to facilitate instruction for planning, teaching, learning, and assessment.

Student materials

Available digitally and in print, the student materials guide middle schoolers through complex texts and writing with the following:

  • Student Edition will engage students with high-quality narrative and informational texts.
  • Digital experience will provide videos, a library of more than 700 texts, audio supports, and other online experiences that capture their attention.
A laptop displays a web page titled "read like a movie director, part 1" from amplify ela, featuring text and an eyeball image under the lesson tab.
A laptop displaying a webpage from "amplify ela" featuring the title "brain science" and various educational topics alongside an illustrated collage of diverse human figures.

Teacher materials

Available digitally and in print, the Teacher Edition contains all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • From detailed lesson plans.
  • Video teacher tips embedded in the lesson.
  • B.E.S.T. standards alignment and assessments including exit tickets.
  • Real-time differentiation strategies.
  • Clarify and Compare lessons.
  • Robust reporting.

Professional learning

Amplify employs a national cohort of more than 50 ELA facilitators, all of whom have experience as former classroom teachers and many of whom are former school and/or district leaders. Our professional learning team has decades of experience working with large districts across the nation. Amplify has experience supporting district launches over multiple years and has partnered with districts of all sizes nationwide. We partner deeply with districts and tailor professional learning to their unique needs.

Florida ELA Implementation

Two women are seated at a desk, smiling and working together on a project with a laptop and notebook in an office setting.

We are the program for Indiana’s middle school students and teachers.

Amplify ELA is a blended curriculum. We built Amplify ELA to help you make sure the standards are covered, the skills are taught, the test is prepped for, and your students are scaffolded and encouraged. What’s more, everything is done in the background. That way, you can spend your time bringing the text to life, making the classroom hum, and letting each student know you are paying attention to their growth.

Program overview

Amplify ELA is a hybrid curriculum designed specifically for grades 6–8. The heart of every lesson is the text. Each grade includes six units centered on literary or informational texts, delivered in several forms of media. Your classroom will also benefit from two or three immersive learning experiences called Quests and a dedicated Story Writing unit.

  • Full standards coverage: Standards are clearly labeled in each lesson overview, so teachers can save time planning and get back to what they love: teaching.
  • Five levels of differentiation: Based on each student’s needs and the performance measures within Amplify ELA reports, a teacher can choose the differentiation level that’s the right fit for everyone.
  • Embedded assessments: Teachers benefit from uninterrupted instructional time and a continuously updated picture of each student’s progress with key skills and standards.
  • Powerful feedback tools: Comprehensive tools help teachers maximize both the quantity and quality of feedback.
  • Robust reporting: Our reporting app offers information on student progress to help inform instructional decisions.
  • All in one place: Embedded teacher support, differentiation tools, student data, text and other curriculum features—they’re all right there.

Materials

Discover print and digital materials included in the program.

Student edition
Available digitally and in print, the student materials guide middle schoolers through complex texts and writing by:

  • engaging students with high-quality narrative and informational texts, providing videos, audio supports, and digital experiences that capture their attention, and
  • keeping all of their writing in one place with the personal writing journal.

Teacher edition

Available digitally and in print, the Teacher edition contains all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • detailed lesson plans
  • video teacher tips embedded in the lesson
  • standards alignment and exit tickets
  • real-time differentiation strategies
  • robust reporting

Interactive Quests
Fun, week-long explorations where students practice analytical reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, all while building a strong classroom community.

Digital library for independent reading
Amplify Library: Our expansive digital library includes more than 650 fiction and nonfiction, classic, and contemporary titles.

Resources

Learn more about Amplify ELA and how we address the unique needs of middle school students.

Program sample guide

Table of Contents

Four Principles of True Engagement in Middle School ELA
Empower students to become critical thinkers webinar recording
Provide opportunities and supports for all students to work “up” webinar recording
Support feedback systems that develop strengths webinar recording

Experts & presenters

Deb Sabin
Chief Academic Officer, Amplify ELA
Deb Sabin leads Amplify’s curriculum development teams for ELA. Previously she was Director of Instruction and Training for The Writer’s Express. She’s been an ELA teacher in a variety of classrooms from alternative high schools to elite prep schools and international dual language programs.

Jeff Dannemiller
Product Specialists, Amplify
Jeff works with educators across the country, helping them get the most out of their middle school students with reading, writing, and developing all the other skills necessary for high school and beyond.

Contacts

Nathan Toles
Field Manager
ntoles@amplify.com
(317) 430-7879

Jackie Roper
Senior Account Executive
jroper@amplify.com
(312) 202-2598

Casie Rayes
crayes@amplify.com

(480) 549-7531

We are the program for Florida’s middle school students and teachers.

We built Amplify ELA to help you make sure the standards are covered, the skills are taught, the test is prepped for, and your students are scaffolded and encouraged. What’s more, everything is done in the background. That way, you can spend your time bringing the text to life, making the classroom hum, and letting each student know you are paying attention to their growth.

Astronaut in a space suit salutes while holding an American flag, standing amidst what appears to be splashes of liquid.

Program overview

Amplify ELA is a hybrid curriculum designed specifically for grades 6–8. The heart of every lesson is the text. Each grade includes six units centered on literary or informational texts, delivered in several forms of media. Your classroom will also benefit from two or three immersive learning experiences called Quests and a dedicated Story Writing unit.

A woman assists another woman wearing a red headscarf as they look at a laptop.
  • Full standards coverage: Standards are clearly labeled in each lesson overview, so teachers can save time planning and get back to what they love: teaching.
  • Five levels of differentiation: Based on each student’s needs and the performance measures within Amplify ELA reports, a teacher can choose the differentiation level that’s the right fit for everyone.
  • Embedded assessments: Teachers benefit from uninterrupted instructional time and a continuously updated picture of each student’s progress with key skills and standards.
  • Powerful feedback tools: Comprehensive tools help teachers maximize both the quantity and quality of feedback.
  • Robust reporting: Our reporting app offers information on student progress to help inform instructional decisions.
  • All in one place: Embedded teacher support, differentiation tools, student data, text and other curriculum features—they’re all right there.

Materials

Discover print and digital materials included in the program.

Una computadora portátil que muestra una página web con texto y una imagen de la portada de una publicación con varias ilustraciones artísticas. Un libro de texto estudiantil impreso titulado "Amplify ELA" está al lado de la computadora portátil.

Student edition
Available digitally and in print, the student materials guide middle schoolers through complex texts and writing by:

  • engaging students with high-quality narrative and informational texts, providing videos, audio supports, and digital experiences that capture their attention, and
  • keeping all of their writing in one place with the personal writing journal.

Una colorida portada de libro con la etiqueta "Amplify ELA" está al lado de una computadora portátil abierta que muestra una página web titulada "Brain Science" que muestra diferentes artículos científicos.

Teacher edition
Available digitally and in print, the Teacher edition contains all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • detailed lesson plans
  • video teacher tips embedded in the lesson
  • LAF standards alignment and exit tickets
  • real-time differentiation strategies
  • robust reporting
Imagen de una pantalla de computadora que muestra un curso educativo en línea titulado "¿Quién mató a Edgar Allan Poe?" con pantallas de lecciones diseñadas con un tema de detectives en blanco y negro.

Interactive Quests
Fun, week-long explorations where students practice analytical reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, all while building a strong classroom community.

La pantalla de una computadora portátil muestra la Biblioteca Amplify con pestañas para géneros como Aventura y Fantasía, que muestran libros como "El Mago de Oz" y "Frankenstein" en un diseño de cuadrícula.

Digital library for independent reading
Amplify Library: Our expansive digital library includes more than 650 fiction and nonfiction, classic, and contemporary titles.

Resources

Learn more about Amplify ELA and how we address the unique needs of middle school students.

Program sample guide

Table of Contents

Four Principles of True Engagement in Middle School ELA

Empower students to become critical thinkers webinar recording

Provide opportunities and supports for all students to work “up” webinar recording

Support feedback systems that develop strengths webinar recording

Experts & presenters

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Deb Sabin

Chief Academic Officer, Amplify ELA

Deb Sabin leads Amplify’s curriculum development teams for ELA. Previously she was Director of Instruction and Training for The Writer’s Express. She’s been an ELA teacher in a variety of classrooms from alternative high schools to elite prep schools and international dual language programs.

Un hombre con cabello castaño corto sonríe a la cámara. Lleva una camisa azul con botones y una chaqueta oscura. El fondo es completamente blanco.

Jeff Dannemiller

Product Specialists, Amplify

Jeff works with educators across the country, helping them get the most out of their middle school students with reading, writing, and developing all the other skills necessary for high school and beyond.

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Dr. William McBride

National Education Consultant

Dr. Bill McBride is a well-known international speaker and educator. He has trained middle, high, and adult education teachers for over 30 years in literacy and student engagement. Some of his books include Building Literacy in Social Studies, If They Can Argue Well, They Can Write Well, Entertaining an Elephant, and two successful reading programs for secondary struggling readers. He has also been a contributing author on a number of state-adopted literature series for grades 6 through 12.

Contacts

A woman with blonde hair wearing a white blouse with floral embroidery, posing against a plain white background.

Ronda Baggett
rbaggett@amplify.com
(347) 452-6988

A woman with medium-length blonde hair and hoop earrings, wearing a white shirt and a beaded necklace, is looking directly at the camera against a plain background.

Melinda Lyon
mlyon@amplify.com
(704) 813-7757

A person with short gray hair smiles at the camera, wearing a green collared shirt against a plain background.

Jeff Rutter
jrutter@amplify.com
(727) 512-8440

Season 9, Special Episode

Unlocking reading: Comprehension strategies vs. knowledge building, with Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.

In this episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert welcomes back researcher and author Daniel Willingham, Ph.D., to discuss reading comprehension. With only so much instruction time in the day and research supporting both comprehension strategies and knowledge building, it can be tough to know what to prioritize in the classroom. Daniel holds nothing back in outlining exactly where educators should focus their time. Together, he and Susan explore the limitations of comprehension strategies, the place for critical thinking skills in relationship to knowledge, and how to recognize when messaging around knowledge has gone too far.

Meet Our Guest(s):

A bald man with glasses, wearing a brown jacket and light blue shirt, stands in front of a brick wall. An illustrated light bulb and marks decorate the image border.

Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.

Daniel Willingham, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where he has taught since 1992. Until about 2000, his research focused solely on the brain basis of learning and memory. Today, all of his research concerns the application of cognitive psychology to K–16 education. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling Why Don’t Students Like School? and, most recently, Outsmart Your Brain. His writing on education has appeared in 23 languages.​ In 2017 he was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Board for Education Sciences.

Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is Chief Academic Officer of Literacy at Amplify and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. A former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, she’s dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Person with short blonde hair, glasses, and earrings, wearing an orange jacket, smiling in front of a plain gray background—committed to literacy education and fostering background knowledge for all learners.

Quotes

“Your brain is really good at only bringing out the information from long-term memory that is relevant for the context. All of that's happening outside of awareness.”

—Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.

“When reading is really humming, when it's really working well, it's like visual perception. You're just enjoying the view and you're oblivious to all of the cognitive machinery in the background that's letting you see.”

—Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.

“Expecting that knowledge-rich curriculum is going to solve all problems… that's [not] what a reading program is. No, a reading program is multifaceted and needs to have lots of components.”

—Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.

“Knowledge accrues slowly and it's going to take a while. You need to be patient.”

—Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.