Riley Education Award

Clemson University Reading Recovery^® Training Center Selected As Finalist For Riley Institute’s Dick And Tunky Riley Education Award

Award highlights outstanding educational initiatives throughout the state

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GREENVILLE, S.C.— The Riley Institute at Furman and South Carolina Future Minds are pleased to announce Clemson University Reading Recovery Training Center as a finalist for the second annual 2012 Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSC^sm Award for Excellence.

Secretary Richard W. Riley will be in attendance to present the award October 17^th at 
4:30 pm following the South Carolina Future Minds annual meeting. The event is open to the 

public.

The award highlights outstanding educational initiatives throughout the state, and is presented in conjunction with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the South Carolina State Board of Education. Candidates were selected from more than 50 entries in the Riley Institute’s WhatWorksSC^sm clearinghouse.

Clemson University Reading Recovery Training Center serves students statewide. Reading Recovery is a highly effective short-term, one-to-one intervention for the lowest achieving first graders. It is also a professional development model utilizing a three-tiered approach, which includes teachers, teacher leaders (who train teachers), and university trainers (who train teacher leaders).

The winner receives a $10,000 grant sponsored by BB&T for enhancement of the program or consultation with other schools, districts, and organizations interested in modeling the program. Two other finalists will receive $1,000 grants from the Riley Institute and the South Carolina State Board of Education.

For more information or to register for the event, please visit the Riley Institute’s Center for Education Policy and Leadership website at  https://riley.furman.edu/education or contact Scott McPherson at scott.mcpherson@furman.edu. Information about the Riley Institute’s WhatWorksSC^SM clearinghouse can be found here.

About WWSC^sm

WhatWorksSC^sm ties strategies for world-class schools in South Carolina to promising in-state initiatives. It includes policy papers written by state leaders, case studies and an evolving clearinghouse of initiatives that explore and exemplify key strategies for improving South Carolina’s public schools. WWSC^sm continually seeks information about exemplary education initiatives and welcomes ongoing nominations for consideration for succeeding years’ awards.

Creation of WWSC^sm was driven by “In Their Own Words: A Public Vision for Educational Excellence in South Carolina.” This study, the largest ever done in South Carolina and unique nationally, details key strategies for creating world-class schools in South Carolina. A product of 3,000 focus group hours with more than 800 stakeholders, the study was conducted by the Riley Institute in 2005 and 2006 with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.