Thanks to a $10,200 Ellison Education Award, kindergarten classrooms at Hockinson Heights Elementary School will be stocked with decodable books! The books help children practice reading and recognizing letter-sound patterns, in alignment with the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) phonics program.

What are decodable books? Decodable books use words that beginning readers can sound out with basic phonics skills. This gives students valuable practice reading independently, builds confidence and helps create a strong foundation for future literacy. Each kindergarten teacher will receive a boxed set of nonfiction decodable books, and the kindergarten team will share an additional collection of fiction titles.

Ellison Education Grants empower and support effective, innovative and inspirational K-12 public school teachers throughout Washington state. The grants fund educators who develop academic-enrichment curricula for students or pursue professional-learning opportunities that strengthen their teaching practices.