State of Connecticut
When Empowering Writers began providing training and resources to schools in Connecticut the state was at a crossroads in writing instruction. Statewide scores were low, writing programs were limited, and teachers were frustrated. Empowering Writers model of whole class instruction directly linked to literature, explicitly taught skills, and the application of those skills into creative stories, informative pieces, or persuasive essays has transformed the face of writing in Connecticut.
Today
- 273 of Connecticut's 297 school districts apply Empowering Writers methodologies in their schools
- 2008 Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) scores in indirect writing assessments in the state for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grades as follows:
Grade 3 = 8.1
Grade 4 = 8.6
Grade 5 = 8.2
CMT Goal = 8.0
Bridgeport Public School District, Connecticut
Bridgeport Public Schools face the many challenges of an urban environment. For the past 5 years Empowering Writers has worked closely with the district by providing resources, training and program support.
The results - Bridgeport's CMT score in direct writing assessment for 2008 is 7.7. Bridgeport's has met AYP for writing each year for the past 5 years!
"The Bridgeport Public School district has used the Empowering Writers program for the past six years to create a unified writing system for our elementary students. The school district continues to meet state requirements in the area of writing."
Cynthia Fernandes, Executive Director, Learning and Teaching
Bridgeport Public Schools
Mill Hill School, Connecticut
Fourth-grade students in a Connecticut school using the Empowering Writers methodology showed a 45-point increase, from 47% to 92% at or above state goal on the Connecticut Mastery Test over 5 years.
