Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction (CELI)

Mission

The mission of the Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction and the School of Education at The University of Mississippi is to provide exemplary instruction, relevant research, and effective service through collaboration with schools, businesses, community organizations, and the public at large.  The goal is to prepare reflective professionals who positively and effectively interact with persons diverse in race, culture, gender, age, ability, and/or developmental level.  The targeted mission for the Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction is to prepare reading/literacy teachers who know how to teach reading to all children, especially those children in Mississippi who reside in The University of Mississippi’s service area while focusing on low-socioeconomic areas.

Goals

The goals of CELI are focused in four broad areas while concentrating on literacy development in rural, low socioeconomic areas

Objectives

The objectives of CELI are

  1. To prepare undergraduate candidates who can deliver literacy instruction to all children
  2. To prepare graduate candidates who can assume literacy leadership positions within their schools/school districts
  3. To promote communication and coordination of CELI with Barksdale Reading Institute and other educational foundations
  4. To provide services and resources to north Mississippi school districts and teachers that promote quality literacy instruction for all children (i.e. professional development, teacher mentoring, administrative training, grant-writing assistance)
  5. To provide services to the community, school districts, and state that promote literacy development (i.e. summer camps and tutoring for K-12 students)
  6. To conduct an annual conference that celebrates the success of school districts, promotes children’s and adolescent literature, and provides current literacy research and techniques
  7. To advocate research between center and school districts
  8. To publish scholarly research and research-based documents that promote literacy
  9. To secure funding for CELI’s continued operation