McKenna receives $1.87M grant to connect writing and reading instruction 

Meaghan McKenna, an assistant professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has received a five-year, $1.87 million grant to develop and evaluate a technology-based program designed to strengthen writing and reading outcomes for young children. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs awarded the grant for “Writing for Reading: A Technology-Based Approach to Literacy Growth.” The project will evaluate an innovative expansion of an early elementary writing program (WriteStart) into the Electronic Data Management and Expert Decision Making System ( EDM²).  

The work responds to an Office of Special Education Programs Stepping Up for Technology Implementation grant opportunity supporting evidence-based technology tools and approaches that improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities or those at risk for disabilities. McKenna said the funding opportunity was a strong match for WriteStart because writing can contribute to broader literacy growth but often receives less classroom attention than reading. 

“Reading often receives greater attention than writing in classrooms, leaving writing underprioritized despite its important role in children’s communication, literacy development and learning across all subjects,” McKenna said. “By giving writing greater attention in the early elementary grades, we have an opportunity to strengthen children’s broader literacy skills while helping them become successful writers.” 

WriteStart will help kindergarten and first grade teachers assess student writing, monitor progress and use the results to make instructional decisions. Its resources will include professional learning modules, assessments, instructional recommendations and intervention materials. The system also will guide teachers in providing additional support when students need it, including children receiving special education services and those vulnerable for later academic difficulties. 

McKenna said the project will be developed in close collaboration with educators so the materials are understandable, practical and feasible in classrooms. During the first year, educators will review WriteStart’s resources and provide feedback. In years two through four, participating educators will test the program as the research team studies how it supports instruction and whether students improve in writing and reading. In the fifth year, the team plans to make WriteStart available to educators nationwide. Surveys and virtual meetings will document what works, what obstacles educators face and what additional support they need. The researchers will use that feedback to study how the program can be sustained across different schools and classrooms. 

“By partnering with educators throughout development, testing and scale-up, our goal is to create a sustainable approach that helps young children become confident and successful writers who see writing as a meaningful and enjoyable way to express their ideas,” McKenna said. 

WriteStart builds on EDM², a system in development since 2017 by Howard Goldstein (professor, University of South Florida), Jack Drobisz (assistant research professor and assistant director of the Research & Data Center, University of South Florida) and colleagues with funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. The existing system supports preschool literacy through professional learning and data-based decision-making for teachers. 

McKenna participated in the initial design of  EDM² and reviewed early prototypes. She also heard from preschool teachers using the system that it changed how they delivered tiered instruction, improved student outcomes and made their work more efficient. Those experiences helped shape the plan to add writing assessment and instruction for kindergarten and first grade. 

Rather than offering a single set of lessons for every child, WriteStart is also intended to help teachers interpret each student’s writing and select instruction or intervention in response. The approach connects professional learning, assessment and classroom materials in one system, allowing the research team to study both how educators use the technology and how children respond to the resulting instruction. 

McKenna leads a research team that includes Drobisz; Hope Gerde, a professor at Texas A&M University; and SHS Associate Professor Pasquale Bottalico. Drobisz has led EDM²‘s development since 2017. Gerde has experience developing iWRITE, a web-based professional development program in early writing funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. Bottalico will contribute expertise in statistical analysis and educational program evaluation. Goldstein will serve as a member of the advisory board alongside individuals in university and school district positions with expertise in technology integration, writing and special education. 

McKenna said that this project builds on kindergarten and first grade writing assessment and intervention materials that have already undergone iterative development thanks to Institute of Education Sciences postdoctoral and early career funding, positioning it for scale-up and long-term sustainability. McKenna said the project’s long-term goal is to give teachers the support needed to deliver high-quality writing instruction to every child in their classroom. The team will examine both classroom implementation and student learning as WriteStart moves from educator review to field testing and, ultimately, national availability. 

The researchers will begin with schools and districts where they already have collaborative relationships, while seeking connections with additional schools and districts that may be interested in learning more about the project as it grows.

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