NM PED 2026 Literacy and Humanities Summer Conference

Text complexity remains one of the most misunderstood aspects of literacy instruction, as many educators rely solely on Lexile levels to determine appropriate texts for students. Because this limited approach often restricts access to grade-level content and perpetuates achievement gaps, understanding how to comprehensively evaluate text is essential for college and career readiness.

In this session, Student Achievement Partners will share the research base for text complexity analysis. You will explore the three-dimensional framework that evaluates quantitative measures, qualitative features, and reader and task considerations. Using practical tools and rubrics, you will examine how structure, language, knowledge demands, and meaning interact to create complexity. You will partner with colleagues to practice using qualitative analysis tools on authentic instructional materials and leave with strategies for designing scaffolds that provide all students access to grade-level complex texts. By the end of the session, you will be equipped to build student capacity through the thoughtful selection and support of challenging, high-quality texts.

In this session designed for school and district leaders, participants will explore how to move beyond good intentions and into sustained, measurable impact. This presentation highlights the research-based principles of implementation science and the specific phases of implementation that help schools and districts turn literacy initiatives into consistent classroom practice.

Attendees will examine practical strategies for effectively rolling out literacy initiatives, building staff capacity, and supporting instructional fidelity. The session focuses on creating the organizational systems necessary to ensure literacy efforts lead to lasting student outcomes rather than becoming "just another initiative." Leaders will leave with a clearer understanding of how to navigate the shift from initial adoption to full, sustainable integration, ensuring that evidence-aligned practices reach every student in every classroom.

Students must be given grade level appropriate lessons and text in content area instruction. However, we often have students who read well below grade level. Participants in this session will learn about and practice strategies and activities to use to better enable ALL students to engage with grade level text in the classroom.

How can a rural elementary school provide high-frequency, specialized literacy instruction to every student without overextending its staff? You will find the answer in this case study of Jemez Valley Elementary, where the "WIN" (What I Need) block was reimagined through a strategic partnership with Redwood Literacy. This session explores a successful Multi-Layered System of Supports (MLSS) in action, demonstrating how to prioritize the "Right to Read" through innovative scheduling and specialized collaboration.

In this session, you will explore the "Jemez Valley Model," a structured literacy approach that leverages outside experts to work alongside school teams. You will learn the logistical "how-to" of scheduling a school-wide intervention block that minimizes transition loss and maximizes instructional minutes. Furthermore, you will discover how to use BOY and MOY data to move beyond "one size fits all" instruction, creating fluid groupings that address specific gaps in phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency. By examining the growth data and success stories from this implementation, you will leave with a practical framework for forging strategic partnerships, individualizing instruction at scale, and using evidence-based interventions to significantly improve student proficiency and confidence.