Morgan State’s Uplift program credits science-of-reading training and coaching for improved teacher practice in Baltimore City

Dr. Simone Gibson, associate professor of teacher education at Morgan State University, told the board that Uplift (Urban Partnership on Literacy Instruction for Teachers) combined science‑of‑reading training, focused coaching and extended practicum experiences to support struggling readers in Baltimore City and to better prepare teacher candidates.

Gibson said Uplift provided cohorts of teachers and preservice candidates with 30 to 60 hours of structured literacy training plus monthly coaching and data‑driven progress monitoring. She said the program targeted Title I schools and focused on students who were roughly two grades behind in reading. "We gave teachers 30 to 60 hours of science of reading training," Gibson said. "The teachers who were more consistent — as in did it at least three times a week — improved by at least 10% on DIBELS in all areas except fluency."

The presentation outlined three program goals: increase K–12 reading outcomes, support teachers pursuing National Board certification, and expand practicum experiences for candidates toward the Blueprint’s 180‑day expectation. Gibson described lessons learned about vendor training, coaching, and integrating new methods into existing curricula. Early vendor‑led training (Institute of Multi‑Sensory Education, IMSE) proved comprehensive but hard to apply in classrooms with different curricula; Morgan developed an integrative training approach to help teachers enact science‑of‑reading strategies rather than treating them as an add‑on.

Gibson emphasized that coaching requires trust. "A lot of teachers saw coaching as punitive," she said, adding that coaches did not share feedback with principals and worked to build relationships so teachers would accept classroom visits and change instruction. She also said teachers needed quick formative assessments and guidance on what to do with the resulting data: "We found a lot of the coaching involved helping teachers around data, understanding data, and creating plans around small‑group instruction."

Board members asked how to gain administrative buy‑in and scale the model. Sean Balson, superintendent of Harford County, described his district’s "model school" approach that embeds teacher preparation at a single school, and Gibson said partnerships and district‑level training for principals and ACLs (assistant community leaders) were essential to sustain practices. She also said Morgan is working with the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE) to develop statewide training that centers culturally responsive pedagogy.

Gibson described Uplift’s National Board cohort: of 10 candidates in one small cohort, 70% passed initial certification; she credited intensive mentoring and targeted writing support. She also reported operational changes for teacher candidates — increasing practicum experiences from 100 to 120 days through course restructuring and stipends for early training sessions — and an ongoing effort to align mentor teacher training and stipends with program expectations.

Gibson closed by urging integrated approaches, meaningful coaching rather than surveillance, culturally responsive instruction, and administrative engagement to sustain gains. Kelly Meadows (MSDE staff) indicated she would share Morgan’s contact information and noted statewide efforts to produce resources and video guidance for districts.

The board had no immediate action tied to this presentation; members requested follow‑up materials and encouraged staff to explore how successful local models might scale statewide.