Question 1

Are districts expected to implement everything at once?

Accepted Answer

The LtL framework is intentionally sequenced across four years. Districts begin by understanding their system and readiness, then narrow their focus. Some components are designed to launch later, once the conditions for them are in place. Pacing and sequencing are critical to successful implementation.

Question 2

What does effective consulting look like in Lead to Literacy?

Accepted Answer

Effective consulting in LtL is structured around co-planning and inquiry. COE leads ask clarifying questions before offering solutions, listen to understand local context, guide teams toward their own decisions rather than making decisions for them, and connect observations to leadership, instruction, and data. The goal is to build the capacity of LEA leaders to lead this work, not to create reliance on external support. Every consulting interaction ends with a clear next step.

Question 3

What is the difference between the role of a Lead COE and a Partner COE?

Accepted Answer

Lead COEs (Napa as lead agency, Butte, Riverside, Siskiyou, and Tulare) set the statewide direction, design professional learning, coordinate evaluation and reporting, and mentor Partner COEs. They are responsible for the coherence of the work across all 15 counties.Partner COEs are the bridge between the Lead COE network and local LEAs. Each Partner COE identifies two LEAs to support, provides consulting and technical assistance, attends statewide convenings, and submits quarterly data and progress updates. The work Partner COEs do with LEAs mirrors what Lead COEs do with Partner COEs: building shared understanding, establishing routines, and supporting implementation.

Question 4

Are COEs allowed to claim indirect costs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Partner COE is eligible to claim indirect costs. This rate is capped at 8%; however, if the COE’s current approved rate is lower than 8%, they are required to use the lower rate.

Question 5

How do we know if we're ready to start Lead to Literacy?

Accepted Answer

Readiness is not about having everything in place. It is about having the right conditions to begin. Strong starting points include leadership commitment at the district and site level, willingness to engage in honest data conversations and cycles of inquiry, an identified literacy need grounded in data, existing structures to build from, such as PLCs, consulting, or leadership teams, and openness to thinking about literacy across all content areas. The first year is designed to meet districts where they are and build from there.

Question 6

What does success look like in Lead to Literacy?

Accepted Answer

Success is reflected in stronger systems, not just checklists. It looks like districts making consistent literacy decisions across schools, using shared routines and data, and sustaining progress without restarting the work each year. In Year 1 specifically, success means a clear needs assessment is complete, a literacy plan is in place, leadership and consulting routines are running, and teams have shared language for the work ahead.

Question 7

What is Lead to Literacy?

Accepted Answer

Lead to Literacy (LtL) is a statewide initiative to build strong secondary literacy systems across counties and districts. Funded through the CLSD grant and running 2025 through 2029, it connects five Lead County Offices of Education with ten Partner COEs organized into three regions, ultimately supporting LEAs in improving adolescent literacy outcomes across California.LtL is not a curriculum or program. It provides a structure for organizing literacy work through shared tools, routines, and planning processes so that instruction, assessment, and intervention work together as a system.

Question 8

What happens after the first year?

Accepted Answer

Year 1 is the Foundation phase. In Years 2 and 3 (Focus), the work shifts to disciplinary literacy, strengthened intervention systems, and expanded family partnerships. By Years 3 and 4 (Flow), the goal is distributed leadership and sustainability: schools running their own consulting cycles, peer networks learning from each other, and systems that do not depend on any one person or position to keep going. The four-year arc is designed so that the work becomes more self-sustaining over time, not more dependent on external support.

Question 9

Is Lead to Literacy a curriculum or a required program?

Accepted Answer

LtL does not require districts to adopt a specific curriculum, program, or vendor. Districts continue to select materials and instructional approaches that fit their context. LtL provides a system and set of tools to help districts decide what to focus on, when to focus on it, and how to support implementation through leadership and consulting routines.

Question 10

What data should we be looking at regularly?

Accepted Answer

Teams should track PDSA cycle documentation, including the problem of practice, strategy, and evidence collected. Classroom observation and school site visit data indicate whether instructional shifts are occurring. Student outcome data, both quantitative and qualitative, shows whether those shifts are reaching students. Family engagement participation is also part of the picture. The COE helps teams move from data collection to decision-making.

Question 11

What does support from a Lead COE look like month to month?

Accepted Answer

Lead COEs maintain a consistent cadence with Partner COEs. Monthly one-hour virtual touchpoints focus on monitoring progress, sharing learning across regions, and collaborative problem-solving. Between those meetings, Lead COEs provide ongoing responsive consulting and communication as needs arise. Quarterly meetings bring teams together to reflect on progress, analyze impact, and plan next steps through PDSA cycles. Lead COEs also facilitate 2-3 regional convenings per year where Partner COEs come together to learn from each other and deepen their consulting practice.

Question 12

What does a "small, focused start" actually look like?

Accepted Answer

In Year 1, it means choosing one or two schools rather than your whole district. It means focusing on structured literacy for adolescents and assessment literacy within your Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). The Foundation phase is intentionally narrow because the depth of implementation matters more than the breadth in the first two years. A district that builds strong consulting and data routines in two schools has a foundation to scale from. A district that spreads thin across ten schools often has to restart.

Question 13

How should Partner COEs report expenditures that have not yet been posted by the quarterly invoice due date?

Accepted Answer

Based on the quarterly invoice template and reporting timelines, we understand that some expenditures, particularly payroll expenses, may not yet be fully posted by the invoice due date (for example, the June 15 Q3 reporting deadline).For quarterly submissions, Partner COEs should report the expenditures that are available and posted in their financial system as of the invoice due date. Any remaining expenses that have not yet been posted may be included in the following quarterly reporting cycle once they are reflected in the financial system.The quarterly reporting timelines are designed to support Napa COE’s required reporting and fiscal timelines with CDE, which occur shortly after Partner COE submissions are due. The intent is to maintain the overall reporting schedule while recognizing the timing differences that can occur with county payroll and accounting systems.Partner COEs should retain supporting documentation for any expenses that roll into a subsequent reporting period.

Question 14

How do we sustain this work if leadership or staff change?

Accepted Answer

The LtL model builds sustainability into its design by distributing leadership across teams rather than concentrating it in individuals, by documenting practices and decisions so institutional knowledge does not walk out the door, and by developing teacher leadership alongside administrator leadership. Districts that sustain this work through turnover tend to have routines and tools embedded in the system, not expertise that lives only in a few people.

Question 15

What if our district already has literacy initiatives in place?

Accepted Answer

LtL is a structure for making existing literacy work more coherent and sustainable. The goal is to examine what you have, identify what is aligned to evidence-based adolescent literacy instruction and your students' needs, and use LtL tools and routines to strengthen and connect it. Many districts find that LtL helps them consolidate fragmented efforts rather than add to them.

Question 16

When does reporting for the CDE quarterly reporting requirements begin?

Accepted Answer

Partner COEs will start reporting progress in Quarter 3 (April - June, 2026) and thereafter each quarter for CDE reporting purposes. Ongoing state reporting follows a quarterly schedule:Quarter 1: October to December, due December 15Quarter 2: January to March, due March 15Quarter 3: April to June, due June 15Quarter 4: July to September, due September 15
The first report can include any meetings, relationship-building with LEAs, Partner COE Welcome sessions with Lead COEs, Summer Institute participation, and early planning activities. COEs do not need to wait until active implementation is underway in LEAs to begin documenting their work.

Question 17

What team do we need in place to begin?

Accepted Answer

LtL works best when a literacy leadership team is in place that reflects a range of voices across the system: teachers, administrators, consulting, and other educational partners. Leadership presence matters from the start. When site and district administrators are part of the team, implementation is more likely to reach the classroom level and sustain over time.

Question 18

How is Lead to Literacy different from other literacy initiatives?

Accepted Answer

LtL supports instructional improvement by strengthening the leadership, consulting, and planning systems that make effective practice sustainable. It integrates instructional content, leadership routines, consulting structures, data use, and planning tools into a coherent framework. This helps districts avoid fragmented efforts and build consistency across schools and years.The initiative also operates as a connected network. Lead COEs design and model the work, Partner COEs extend it locally, and LEAs implement it with ongoing support. That structure distinguishes LtL from standalone professional development or curriculum adoption efforts.

Question 19

What should we stay focused on in Year 1?

Accepted Answer

The LtL framework is sequenced across four years for a reason. In Year 1, the focus is on building the Foundation: evidence-based practices for adolescent literacy, assessment literacy within MTSS, and the leadership and consulting routines that support both. Disciplinary literacy, advanced intervention systems, and transitional support come in Years 2 and 3. Starting with the needs assessment is essential. Districts that skip it often find themselves solving the wrong problems.

Question 20

What does support from a Partner COE look like month to month?

Accepted Answer

Partner COEs maintain a consistent cadence with their LEA partners. Monthly meetings with LEA leadership focus on monitoring progress, reviewing data, and addressing implementation challenges. Between those meetings, Partner COEs provide ongoing responsive consulting and communication as needs arise. Quarterly meetings bring the team together to reflect on progress, analyze impact, and refine next steps through PDSA cycles. Partner COEs also conduct site visits to support implementation directly in schools.

Question 21

Can Lead COEs, Partner COEs, or LEAs carry forward unused grant funds into the next fiscal year?

Accepted Answer

Annual Lead to Literacy grant allocations are intended to support the activities and deliverables planned for that fiscal year. Lead COEs, Partner COEs, and participating LEAs should budget and expend funds in alignment with their annual scope of work and should not plan to carry forward unused funds into future fiscal years.If significant, unforeseen circumstances arise that may impact your ability to complete planned expenditures, please contact the Lead to Literacy team as soon as possible.

Question 22

Can COEs work with LEAs that are too small to provide student-level data from the CAASPP or benchmark assessments?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended that partner LEAs be selected based on their readiness to participate in the initiative. If an LEA does not have students taking benchmark assessments or the CAASPP, those data may not be available; however, this should not prevent participation by a group of educators who are prepared and eager to engage.Disaggregated student data should be provided when available, but small schools and alternative education programs are also appropriate partners. In these settings, impact can be assessed using other sources of evidence, including observations, the needs assessment, and participant surveys.

Question 23

When do Partner COEs need to identify their LEAs?

Accepted Answer

Partner COEs should have their LEAs identified and committed by the start of the fall. The timeline shows LEA connection beginning in June, with the Summer Institute on June 23-24 as the formal launch point, and active work with LEAs starting in August and September. If you are able to connect with your LEAs this spring, take that opportunity. Starting the relationship early means you can hit the ground running together when the school year begins.

Question 24

Are COES working with the same LEAs for the duration of the grant or adding additional LEAs each year?

Accepted Answer

The expectation is that COEs will continue working with the same participating LEAs throughout the duration of the Lead to Literacy grant. The goal is to support sustained implementation, continuous improvement, and long-term systems development over multiple years.At this time, COEs are not expected to replace or rotate LEAs annually. Maintaining consistent partnerships allows LEAs to progress through the phases of implementation and supports deeper systems change over time.As with all aspects of the grant, continuation of participation is contingent upon the LEA remaining engaged in the work and meeting grant expectations and deliverables.

Question 25

How does Lead to Literacy (LtL) align with other statewide literacy initiatives (CCLA, CCEE, LCRSET, ARISE, Project CLEAR, GEMS)?

Accepted Answer

Lead to Literacy (LtL) is intentionally designed to align with and complement California’s broader literacy ecosystem. Rather than operating as a separate effort, LtL serves as a coherence-building bridge across statewide work.Unified by shared frameworks and guidanceLtL is grounded in the same foundational guidance that shapes other initiatives, including the California ELA/ELD Framework, the California State Literacy Plan, and related state guidance documents. This ensures that all efforts align with a common vision of high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction, language development, and equitable outcomes for all students.Leveraging and amplifying existing resources.LtL does not recreate tools or materials already developed through initiatives such as CCLA, CCEE, LCRSET, ARISE, Project CLEAR, and GEMS. Instead, it actively:Curates and utilizes high-quality resources developed through these effortsElevates promising practices and tools for broader useSupports LEAs in selecting and applying resources that best fit their local context
Aligned structures and routines for coherenceTo reduce fragmentation and strengthen impact, LtL employs similar structures and improvement routines used across statewide initiatives, such as:Cycles of inquiry and continuous improvement (e.g., PDSA)Leadership development and capacity-building modelsConsulting, technical assistance, and professional learning systemsData-informed decision-making practices
A system connector, not a competitorLtL’s role is to connect, align, and scale—helping county offices of education and LEAs make sense of multiple initiatives and integrate them into a coherent literacy strategy. By aligning messaging, practices, and supports, LtL helps ensure that statewide investments work together to strengthen literacy systems rather than compete for attention.In short: LtL advances coherence across California’s literacy landscape by anchoring work in shared frameworks, leveraging existing resources, and aligning implementation practices—ultimately supporting stronger, more unified literacy systems statewide.

Question 26

How does this connect to our existing initiatives (MTSS, ELD, content-area instruction)?

Accepted Answer

LtL operates within MTSS. Assessment literacy within MTSS is a Year 1 content block specifically because the two need to be integrated from the start. LtL strengthens the literacy-related decisions your MTSS teams are already trying to make: clearer data, consistent routines, aligned instruction across tiers.For ELD and content-area instruction, those connections deepen in Years 2 and 3 through the disciplinary literacy content block. The Foundation year builds the shared language and observation tools that make cross-curricular literacy work coherent later.

Question 27

How do we keep this from becoming "one more thing"?

Accepted Answer

It becomes one more thing when it is layered on top of existing work instead of integrated into it. The LtL routines (walkthroughs, consulting cycles, data reviews, family engagement) are things most districts are already trying to do. The goal is to make those existing efforts more consistent and better connected. That requires leadership commitment at the district and site level to protect time, minimize competing priorities, and communicate clearly about why this work is the work.

Question 28

How can my district or school get involved in Lead to Literacy? Who should I contact?

Accepted Answer

LtL works through a network of County Offices of Education. The best starting point is your local COE. If your county is one of the fifteen COEs in the network, reach out to your COE directly to learn how they are supporting LEAs in your area. If you are unsure who to contact or want to learn more before reaching out locally, visit lead-to-literacy.org or email us at Hello@leadtoliteracy.org.

Question 29

Where do we start with the needs assessment?

Accepted Answer

LtL uses a Systems Analysis Tool to help teams understand where their literacy systems currently stand. The tool covers six domains: Data-Based Decision Making, Assessment, Universal Literacy Instruction, Professional Development, Literacy Intervention, and Family and Community Engagement. Teams rate each area on a 0 to 3 scale (from not yet in place to fully implemented) and use the results to identify strengths, surface gaps, and ground early conversations in evidence rather than assumption. The Systems Analysis Tool is the starting point because it ensures teams are solving the right problems before jumping to solutions.

Question 30

How much time should COEs allocate for reporting commitments?

Accepted Answer

Quarterly reporting could take up to a few hours, depending on how well the team has documented activities throughout the past quarter. The CDE has asked grantees to share information such as:Contributions made to increase the capacity of the COETechnical assistance and professional learning provided to LEAsSuccesses in providing technical assistance and professional learningChallenges in providing technical assistance and professional learningCoordination and collaboration with other agenciesImproved academic outcomesAnd details about activities completed, including the type of activity, number of participants, and impact.

Question 31

What is the average time commitment for an LEA each month?

Accepted Answer

Rather than focusing on specific required timeframes, the expectation is that participating teams actively implement and continuously improve their local literacy efforts.LEAs should be prepared to invest time, resources, and personnel to support the successful implementation of their literacy plan. This includes meeting regularly to review progress, analyze data, celebrate successes, identify challenges, and make adjustments through ongoing cycles of continuous improvement.In addition, LEAs will need to dedicate time to developing a new literacy plan or refining an existing one to ensure it reflects their current needs, priorities, and goals. The most successful teams are those that establish consistent structures for collaboration and commit to sustained implementation over time.

Question 32

How do we choose our first focus area?

Accepted Answer

The Systems Analysis Tool results drive that conversation. Once teams have rated their systems across the six domains, patterns emerge about where the greatest needs and highest leverage opportunities are. The COE helps facilitate that analysis, but the decision belongs to the LEA leadership team. In Year 1, the focus will generally connect to the Foundation content, adolescent literacy instruction and assessment within MTSS, but the specific entry point should reflect what the data from the tool actually shows about the system.

FAQ

Are districts expected to implement everything at once?

What does effective consulting look like in Lead to Literacy?

What is the difference between the role of a Lead COE and a Partner COE?

Are COEs allowed to claim indirect costs?

How do we know if we're ready to start Lead to Literacy?

What does success look like in Lead to Literacy?

What is Lead to Literacy?

What happens after the first year?

Is Lead to Literacy a curriculum or a required program?

What data should we be looking at regularly?

What does support from a Lead COE look like month to month?

What does a "small, focused start" actually look like?

How should Partner COEs report expenditures that have not yet been posted by the quarterly invoice due date?

How do we sustain this work if leadership or staff change?

What if our district already has literacy initiatives in place?

When does reporting for the CDE quarterly reporting requirements begin?

What team do we need in place to begin?

How is Lead to Literacy different from other literacy initiatives?

What should we stay focused on in Year 1?

What does support from a Partner COE look like month to month?

Can Lead COEs, Partner COEs, or LEAs carry forward unused grant funds into the next fiscal year?

Can COEs work with LEAs that are too small to provide student-level data from the CAASPP or benchmark assessments?

When do Partner COEs need to identify their LEAs?

Are COES working with the same LEAs for the duration of the grant or adding additional LEAs each year?

How does Lead to Literacy (LtL) align with other statewide literacy initiatives (CCLA, CCEE, LCRSET, ARISE, Project CLEAR, GEMS)?

How does this connect to our existing initiatives (MTSS, ELD, content-area instruction)?

How do we keep this from becoming "one more thing"?

How can my district or school get involved in Lead to Literacy? Who should I contact?

Where do we start with the needs assessment?

How much time should COEs allocate for reporting commitments?

What is the average time commitment for an LEA each month?

How do we choose our first focus area?

Frequently asked questions

What is Lead to Literacy?

Is Lead to Literacy a curriculum or a required program?

How is Lead to Literacy different from other literacy initiatives?

How does Lead to Literacy (LtL) align with other statewide literacy initiatives (CCLA, CCEE, LCRSET, ARISE, Project CLEAR, GEMS)?

How can my district or school get involved in Lead to Literacy? Who should I contact?