Strengthening Literacy Across Northern California

When…

Every layer of the literacy ecosystem is aligned to the Science of Reading—schools, adult programs, alternative education, and volunteer efforts—outcomes improve and the need for intensive intervention declines.

By bringing evidence-based instruction to every corner of our region, we can ensure that all learners have the opportunity to thrive.

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A classroom with students taking notes, including a young woman standing with a backpack and notebooks, smiling and observing.
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Why NCLC

The Northern California Literacy Collaborative (NCLC) strengthens literacy across our region by uniting schools, colleges, libraries, adult programs, and community partners around one shared goal: Ensuring every child and adult has access to evidence-based literacy support.

Our work spans the full literacy ecosystem—birth through adulthood—because strong readers come from strong communities.

Our Core Initiatives

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Community Literacy Training & Support

We build capacity of the entire community—tutors, volunteers, adult learners, paraeducators, and literacy staff—through training grounded in the Science of Reading.

  • Rural communities rely heavily on volunteers and adult literacy programs. When these groups use evidence-based practices, the impact multiplies.

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Family Literacy & Community Engagement

We support family literacy nights, early childhood workshops, community reading events, and countywide initiatives that build a culture of reading at home.

  • Children do better when families have the tools to support language and literacy development from the earliest years.

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Education & Leadership Professional Learning

We offer high-quality professional development for teachers, principals, literacy leaders, and district teams, including structured literacy, MTSS, assessment, and intervention.

  • Research shows that when Tier 1 instruction improves, the need for intensive intervention decreases and student success rises.

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North State Research, Evaluation & Data Sharing

Data helps us understand what’s working, what isn’t, and how to improve literacy outcomes across our diverse rural communities.

  • Data helps us understand what’s working, what isn’t, and how to improve literacy outcomes across our diverse rural communities.

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Pre-Service & Workforce Development

We build capacity of the entire community—tutors, volunteers, adult learners, paraeducators, and literacy staff—through training grounded in the Science of Reading.

  • A strong literacy workforce—teachers, specialists, tutors, and future educators—begins with high-quality preparation and real practice.

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Regional Collaboration & Funding Initatives

We bring together districts, county offices, nonprofits, libraries, and community agencies to pursue joint grants, share resources, and expand access in rural and high-need areas.

  • No single organization can solve the literacy crisis alone. Collaboration is the only way to ensure every county—and every learner—has access to the support they need.

Northern California faces some of the deepest literacy challenges in the state—from early childhood through adulthood.

By strengthening every part of the literacy ecosystem, NCLC helps ensure that:

  • Educators are equipped with evidence-based practices

  • Volunteers and adult programs use the Science of Reading

  • Families receive support early and often

  • Rural communities are not left behind

  • Students and adults gain the skills they need to learn, work, and thrive

“Together, we are building a more literate, more resilient Northern California.”

— Joan Schumann, PhD (Board Chair, Northern CA Literacy Collaborative)

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