My Views Are My Own By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S. 11/19/2025 When my daughter came home in fourth grade talking about Muhammad and the Mecca , I decided to learn more about the lessons being taught in her classroom. I discovered that the newly purchased Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA)  curriculum materials is where this particular lesson came from. In my role as an English Learner teacher, I had the opportunity to be in classrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade

My Views Are My Own By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S. 11/5/2025 As I continue to review the literacy initiatives of other states, I look to Louisiana.  It is the only state to have raised its average 4th grade literacy scores  since the pandemic and have shown some of the smallest decline in average scores for 8th grade, according to the national assessment (NAEP).  After digging through their Department of Education website, I learned that they, like Mississippi, have a third grade r

My Views Are My Own By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S. 11/3/2025 Improving literacy in our state has been my top priority.  As our proficiency rates in Nebraska continue to slide, it is imperative that we look to other states that are making improvements.  One state that is showing gains in early literacy is Mississippi, which leapfrogged from last place for literacy proficiency in 2012 to 7th in fourth grade literacy today  and has led to the term, the Mississippi Miracle .  Once I s