Chelsea Public Schools (CPS) was featured in an “All Access with Andy Garcia” segment alongside Ignite Reading.
The segment debuted on Monday, August 24, and will be broadcast on more than 170 participating Public Television stations nationwide. The segment will air as interstitial programming for one full year through 2027.
The piece highlights the work of Ignite Reading, an organization dedicated to ensuring that every student is a confident and independent reader. Ignite provides early literacy intervention for students in the form of high-dosage tutoring, pairing students with an online tutor for 15 minutes during the school day to provide each student with personalized reading instruction.
Ignite Reading has been a partner with CPS for multiple school years, and recent data has shown the positive impact that the program has had for Chelsea students. According to Ignite Reading data, 86 percent of the students (primarily first graders) who participated in the program last year fully mastered foundational phonics skills such as basic alphabet knowledge, letter names and sounds. The television segment goes into further detail about Ignite’s mission, their practice, and the positive results happening right here in Chelsea.
“For me, as a superintendent, learning about Ignite Reading was a game changer. The individualized instruction, grounded in the Science of Reading, meets students where they are and intentionally builds their skills over time. I knew this was something that could make a real
difference for our students,” CPS Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta said.
Footage for the story as well as interviews were recorded at the Mary C. Burke Elementary Complex last winter. Dr. Abeyta and Berkowitz School Principal Blanca Restrepo were interviewed along with Berkowitz School parent, Alma Leiva, and her son Isaiah, a Berkowitz student.
“I’m so thankful for Ignite Reading. They have taught him [Isaiah] a lot. He has made a lot of progress. I’m so happy and proud of him,” Leiva said.
Isaiah added, “I really like working with my tutor. We have a lot of fun learning to read. When I do a good job reading, it makes me feel good.”
Elementary-aged students in Chelsea Public Schools will continue to participate in the Ignite
Reading program during the 2026-27 school year. A link to watch the video will be on the
Chelsea Public Schools website and social media accounts as soon as it is available.
