PCSD is committed to instruction in English Language Arts and Reading that aligns with Florida’s  B.E.S.T. ELA Standards and the coordinating ELA Expectations. The B.E.S.T. Standards for ELA provide educators and families with information regarding what students must know and be able to do within each grade level. The ELA Expectations provide educators and families with information regarding how students should interact with standards, text, and other learners.

FDOE Resources: 

• ELA Parent Guides

• B.E.S.T. ELA Standards 

• FDOE Released Assessments

PCSD Resources: 

• Read-at-Home Plan 

• Grade level Year-at-a-Glance documents for ELA and Reading

• Adopted and/or approved curriculum for ELA and Reading

• DRAFT: Comprehensive Evidence-Based Reading Plan - Pending Approval

New Worlds Reading Initiative

New Worlds Reading Initiative is the first-of-its-kind at-home book program that helps eligible Florida students in VPK through 5th grade grow their home libraries and encourage a love of reading with monthly deliveries of free books and learning activities.

PCSD currently has over 1400 students VPK-5th grade receiving free books and activities. Parent video resources are also available. These videos offer tips for caregivers to engage with reading in a child-friendly way. The videos support all grade levels and various topics so that parents can use the resources for all children.

The free books are shipped Oct-June each school year. Students who are enrolled receive 9 free books a year along with helpful parent/student activities. Once enrolled, students remain enrolled until the end of 5th grade even if they maintain on-grade level status. 

For more information, please reach out to any elementary school or visit Newworldsreading.com.

• Facebook: @NewWorldsReading

• Twitter: @NewWorldsFL

• Instagram: @NewWorldsReading

• LinkedIn: New Worlds Reading Initiative

R.A.I.S.E. High School Tutoring Program

The R.A.I.S.E. High School Tutoring Program prepares eligible high school students to tutor students in Kindergarten through grade 3. The Reading Achievement Initiative for Student Excellence or R.A.I.S.E. High School Tutoring program is designed to give additional reading support to K-3rd grade Tier 3 students. To be eligible to participate as a tutor in the program, a high school student must: 

• Be a rising junior or senior;

• Have a cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 or higher;

• Have no history of out-of-school suspensions or expulsions;

• Be on track to complete all core course requirements to graduate;

• Have received two (2) written recommendations to serve as a R.A.I.S.E. tutor from present or former high school teachers of record or extracurricular activity sponsors.

Tutors who provide at least 75 hours of tutoring in R.A.I.S.E. schools shall be known as New World Scholars.

Since PCSD began participation in the R.A.I.S.E. High School Tutoring Program in 2022, we have had 18 students qualify and received this New Worlds Scholar designation.

For more information, please reach out to any high school counselor.