Ready for STAR

2. Assess funding and potential return on investment

Would STAR benefit your state?

Things to consider:

What is your current level of investment in professional development to improve instruction and learner outcomes?

Is your current investment improving student learning?

Has your investment in improving reading instruction had a positive effect on adult reading achievement?

What are your goals for improving outcomes for adult reading students?

Will investing in a professional development program on EBRI help you meet your goals for improving learner outcomes?

Compare STAR costs to other professional development investments.

3. Select a STAR service package

Which STAR service package suits your state's professional development needs?

National Training and Technical Assistance

State Trainer Certification

Partner State Expansion

Coaching

Visit Services for more details on each package or contact us to speak with an expert advisor.

States may also incur other costs during and after STAR institutes.

4. Establish a contract for STAR services

NSTN staff can help you establish a contract for STAR services. See the Ready for STAR Guide to reference the following chapters:

Overview of STAR Institutes
will help you incorporate a description of services in the contract

STAR Services
lists services provided

Options for Technical Assistance
provides ideas on how you can customize your technical assistance hours

5. Assemble your leadership team

Assembling a state leadership team committed to coordinating and overseeing STAR training and technical assistance is worth the effort. Consider:

Who can facilitate change at the state, program, and classroom levels?

Who can help local programs implement evidence-based reading instruction?

Who would be effective in increasing the number of programs using evidence-based reading instruction statewide?

Your state leadership team could include the state director of adult education or another representative from the state office, state professional development staff with responsibility for professional development in reading instruction, local program administrators, and classroom teachers participating in STAR.

6. Plan for success

Careful planning will ensure that the STAR Tool Kit and training has the maximum impact on your local programs.

Project staff and National Trainers will work with your state to prepare for successful implementation. These pre-training activities include conference calls to discuss intake and planning, trainer assignments, and logistics.

See the Ready for STAR Guide for detailed checklists and lists of what the state’s responsibilities are in preparation for STAR.

7. Select and prepare your STAR sites

NSTN can help you identify local programs that are most likely to benefit from STAR training and technical assistance. Qualities to consider:

Openness to change;

Organizational structure and management practices; and

Collaboration and collegiality.

Select your programs, and then follow up with administrators to prepare them for training and technical assistance.

8. Schedule and support STAR training

Scheduling STAR training will be easy if you have taken each of the foregoing steps.

Be prepared to:

Secure appropriate facilities and equipment;

Support additional costs; and

Consult your state's new STAR training team.