Marietta City Schools' Journey to Empower Middle School Students
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Literacy is more than a foundational skill—it’s a gateway to lifelong learning and success. At Marietta City Schools in Georgia, ensuring every student becomes a confident reader isn’t just a goal; it’s a district-wide mission extending from elementary through middle school. Under the visionary leadership of Superintendent Dr. Grant Rivera, the district embarked on a transformative journey to redefine literacy education and empower both students and educators.
The story of Marietta’s journey isn’t just one of strategies and statistics—it’s about building a culture where literacy is everyone’s responsibility.
A Commitment to Collaboration
What does it take to drive transformational change? For Marietta City Schools, it included over 70 educators and leaders spending their days off learning about literacy and the science of reading together. This diverse group included ELA, special education, EL, and math teachers, instructional support coaches, and more.
This dedication wasn’t just about acquiring knowledge—it was about fostering a collaborative culture. These educators worked shoulder-to-shoulder, exploring how to bring literacy practices into their unique disciplines and classrooms.
“We created a culture where we promised that we were going to give teachers the resources they needed,” Rivera shared. “We are not putting you on a boat, pushing you out to sea, and waving goodbye.”
Extending Support from K-5 to 6th-8th Grade
Marietta City Schools ensured students' literacy success didn’t stop with a strong foundation in K-5. Instead, the district recognized that literacy progress is an ongoing process, requiring targeted strategies and continuous professional learning as students transition to upper elementary and middle school.
“We focused on kindergarten through fifth grade, but then there’s an obvious question. As we pick up more and more momentum, knowledge, and success around the science of reading in our elementary classrooms, what happens next?” Rivera shared. To truly transform literacy outcomes, Rivera acknowledged, “For us, the middle grade’s work had to be seamless from the elementary work.”
This commitment was driven by a stark reality: 37% of Marietta’s middle school students were not reading at grade level. Rivera and his team knew that addressing this challenge required equipping educators in grades 6 through 8 with the evidence-based skills and strategies to tackle these gaps.
By extending research-driven professional learning to include 6th to 8th grade educators—including ELA, special education, and content-area teachers—the district ensured that literacy remained a shared priority across disciplines. This proactive recognition of the need for sustained literacy support became a cornerstone of Marietta’s success.
Literacy Is Everyone’s Responsibility
A hallmark of Marietta’s approach was breaking down traditional subject-area silos to make literacy a shared responsibility across all disciplines. This wasn’t limited to English or reading teachers—educators from every subject played a role in helping students build their reading brains.
- Science Teachers embraced repeated readings of scientific articles to improve fluency and comprehension.
- History Teachers incorporated morphology to improve phonics related to historical analysis and definitions.
- Math Teachers supported phonological awareness with vocabulary words to help students speak and read the language of mathematics.
“Nobody is exempt from literacy,” Rivera stated. “Whether your job is in operations or you teach science, PE, or art, we all need enough knowledge to be able to contribute to the conversation and know how we add value.”
This integrated effort created a culture where literacy wasn’t confined to a single classroom but became woven into every aspect of the school day.
Guiding the Transformation
Behind Marietta’s success was a clear and actionable leadership strategy. Rivera’s team focused on empowering educators at all levels with the tools and confidence needed to lead literacy work in their schools. Key principles included:
- We All Lead the Work
Literacy was elevated as a district-wide priority, with every stakeholder—from the Board of Education to classroom teachers—sharing the responsibility. - Job-Embedded Professional Learning
Teachers participated in meaningful professional learning during the workday, ensuring they had both the knowledge and time to implement what they learned. - Leaders as Learners
“AIM Pathways to Literacy Leadership was critical for us. We had to make sure our administrators, assistant principals, principals, coaches, everyone who was in a support role to a teacher in a classroom, could lead and support and understand the work. This was not pedagogy that had to exist exclusively in a classroom. It had to permeate across everything in the building,” Rivera noted. - Consistency of Message
Rivera’s message was clear and unwavering: “This is what we do.” Literacy wasn’t an add-on—it was the core of Marietta’s educational mission. - A Culture of Hope
One of the most powerful outcomes was the transformation of teacher morale. Teachers who once felt unsure “now believe they can make a difference,” Rivera said.
AIM’s Role: A Partner in Literacy Leadership
An important part of Marietta’s journey was its partnership with AIM Institute. AIM’s evidence-based literacy programs provided the framework and resources necessary to bridge literacy efforts across elementary and middle schools.
Pathways to Proficient Reading: Secondary provided educators with practical tools to implement the science of reading, while Pathways to Literacy Leadership equipped Marietta’s leaders to drive systemic change.
Rivera reflected on AIM’s impact: “When we were trying to develop Marietta’s approach to literacy, we couldn’t find anyone who could help us replicate a model around middle grades until we found AIM. Once we connected with AIM, we realized we had a partner that allowed us to extend this work from elementary up to middle grades.”
AIM Institute’s focus on empowering educators aligned seamlessly with Marietta’s mission, creating a partnership that strengthened the district’s literacy initiatives.
Shaping the Future of Literacy
Marietta City Schools’ literacy efforts demonstrate that real change happens when educators and leaders work together. By fostering collaboration, providing high-quality professional learning, and creating a shared mission, the district built a culture where literacy is everyone’s responsibility.
For educators and leaders seeking to replicate this success, Marietta offers a clear message: when literacy becomes a shared mission, the potential for transformation is limitless.
Discover How AIM Can Help
If Marietta’s story resonates with your district’s goals, AIM Institute offers the resources and expertise to help. From tailored professional learning to evidence-based strategies, AIM can support your literacy initiatives across grades and content-areas. Together, we can empower educators and transform lives through literacy.
This post is part of AIM’s "Learning from Leaders" series, spotlighting innovative approaches to literacy leadership.