Northern California Literacy Collaborative
We empower a collaborative network that advances professional learning, strengthens partnerships, and expands access to high-quality resources to improve literacy development across our region.
“Students living in poverty are 13x times more likely not to graduate if they cannot read proficiently by third grade.”
— Annie E. Casey Foundation
Who Can Join
All educators (teachers, specialists, instructional coaches) including those who serve in alternative education, the juvenile justice system, and adult education programs
School, district, and county office of education leadership
Higher education faculty and teacher-preparation programs
Literacy tutors and volunteer organizations
Public libraries and literacy program coordinators
Nonprofits and advocacy groups focused on education
Local businesses and community partners interested in workforce and economic development
Parents, caregivers, and family advocates including early childhood providers supporting early language development
Who We Serve
Children birth–age 5, building early language and literacy
TK–12 students across all grade levels and learning needs
Adult learners, including those seeking foundational literacy skills
Multilingual learners and their families
Educators at every level, from preservice to veteran practitioners
Families and caregivers seeking tools to support literacy at home
Schools, districts, and counties offices of education working to strengthen Tier 1 instruction and reading intervention systems
Community partners looking to expand access to literacy support
Northern California, especially underserved and rural communities
Our Regional Reading Problem
Northern California counties (Butte, Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou, Trinity, Glenn, Lassen, Plumas) consistently score below the state average in reading proficiency across multiple grade levels.
Many of these counties have adult literacy rates below 80%, meaning up to 1 in 5 adults struggle with basic reading.
Rural and high-poverty communities face persistent gaps in access to high-quality literacy instruction, intervention, and early-childhood language development.
Low literacy impacts academic success, graduation rates, workforce readiness, physical and mental health, and community vitality.
A Collaborative Approach is Needed.
No single agency can solve this literacy crisis alone.
Schools, libraries, colleges, nonprofits, and community groups are all doing valuable work — but often in silos.
A regional hub allows for shared learning, shared resources, shared data, and professional development aligned to the science of how to best teach reading.
How We Support
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Community Literacy Training & Support
Training center for literacy assessment, tutoring, and intervention
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Educator & Leadership Professional Learning
Science of Reading–aligned training for improved instruction and intervention
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Pre-Service & Workforce Development
Practicum partnerships and career-readiness
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Family & Community Engagement
Resources to support family literacy nights and early childhood workshops
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Research, Evaluation & Shared Data
Research-practice partnerships to evaluate outcomes of regional resources
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Regional Collaboration on Funding Initatives
Joint grant applications and philanthropic partnerships
Meet Our Team
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Joan Schumann, PhD
NCLC Board Chair
Founder, Leading for Learning
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Mele Benz
NCLC Vice Chair
Butte County Office of Education
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Megan Kurtz
NCLC Board Treasurer
California State University, Chico
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Misty Wright
NCLC Board Secretary
Director at Butte County Library
“Literacy is not just an education issue—it’s a public health issue, an economic issue, and a community issue.”
— National Council for Adult Learning
The Truth About Reading
Join us in January 2026 as NCLC organizes screenings of this powerful documentary to build awareness and advocacy for science-based reading instruction across the Northern CA region.
