State Literacy Plan Team

Information regarding the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Program State Literacy Plan team.

A State Literacy Plan (SLP) team, selected through a formal application process, met virtually on March 23–24, 2020, and August 19–20, 2020, to respond to the draft SLP and provide additional recommendations as part of the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant. The SLP team convenings were hosted by the California Department of Education and facilitated by staff from the Region 15 Comprehensive Center at WestEd.

State Literacy Plan Team Members

The following is a list of SLP team members and their organizations.

Name	Employer	Position
Jessica Bammerlin	Yreka Union Elementary School District	Resource Teacher
Tina Cheuk	California Polytechnic State University	Assistant Professor in Elementary Science Education
Carol Connor	University of California, Irvine	Chancellor’s Professor and Director for the Center for Creating Opportunities through Education
Deborah Costa-Hernandez	California Subject Matter Project	Executive Director, California Reading and Literature Project
Nancy Cushen-White	University of California, San Francisco Dyslexia Research Center	Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
Sydney Dion	Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District	District Literacy Instruction and Design Coach
Tammy Duggan	Thermalito Union Elementary School District	District Reading Specialist/Instructional Coach
Jennifer Elemen	Monterey County Office of Education	Educational Administrator, Language & Literacy, History-Social Science-Civics
Barbara Flores	California State University, San Bernardino	Professor Emerita
Marlene Fong	California Teachers Association	Coordinator, Instructional Leadership Corps
Kathy Futterman	California State University, East Bay	Adjunct Faculty for the Departments of Educational Psychology & Teacher Education
Margaret Goldberg	Oakland Unified School District	Early Literacy Lead
Roni Jones	California Collaborative for Educational Excellence	Senior Manager for System of Support
Elizabeth Kaufman	Sonoma Valley Unified School District	Associate Superintendent, Educational Services
Gwenn Lei	San Mateo County Office of Education	Coordinator, Reading Language Arts/History-Social Science
Lorena Lopez	Azusa Unified School District	Teacher
Andrea Marks	Nevada County Superintendent of Schools	Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Accountability
Dana McVey	First 5 California	Child Development Consultant
Robin Mencher	KQED	Executive Director, Education
Edward “Alex” Mertens	Fresno Unified School District	Teacher
Mindy Montanio	Kern High School District	Teacher on Special Assignment
Michelle Nieto	San Diego Unified School District	Teacher
Melissa Pattullo	Huntington Beach Union High School District	District Literacy Specialist
David Pearson	UC Berkeley	Evelyn Lois Corey Emeritus Professor of Instructional Science
Lucy Pearson-Edwards	California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, Napa County Office of Education	Director of Continuous Improvement and Academic Support
Roxann Purdue	California Commission on Teacher Credentialing	Consultant
Alicia Raygoza	Mountain View School District	Early Literacy Teacher on Special Assignment
Michelle Rodriguez	Pajaro Valley Unified School District	Superintendent of Schools
Nancy Rogers-Zegarra	California Reading Association and St. Mary’s College	Editor for The California Reader and Teacher Leader at St. Mary’s College
Jeanne Sesky	Anaheim Union High School District	Literacy Specialist
Rebecca Silverman	Stanford University	Associate Professor
Pam Spycher	WestEd	Project Director
Ilene Straus	California State Board of Education	Vice President
Becky Sullivan	Sacramento County Office of Education	Director, K–12 English Language Arts
Amanda Turkie	Folsom Cordova Unified School District	District Librarian
Laurie Virtusio	Beverly Hills Unified School District	K–5 EL Coordinator and Teacher on Special Assignment English Language Development
Lauren Walsh	Las Virgenes Unified School District	Language and Literacy Coach
Kareem Weaver	National Association for the Advancement of Colored People	Director of the Education Committee
Dale Webster	Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education	Chief Academic Officer
Maryanne Wolf	University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice	Director
Leslie Zoroya	Los Angeles County Office of Education	Reading/Language Arts Coordinator III

State Literacy Plan Team Materials

March 2020
August 2020

Presentation materials for both of these events have been archived. To receive a copy, email the CLSD team at CLSDP@cde.ca.gov.

Questions: Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant Program | CLSDP@cde.ca.gov | 916-323-4630

Last Reviewed: Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Trending in Professional Learning

Recently Posted in Professional Learning

Science Laboratory Facilities (added 02-Oct-2026)
Learn general guidelines for science and industrial technology laboratory construction under California regulations. Discover standards for lab size, ventilation, chemical storage, flexible workstations, and required safety equipment.
Personal Protective Equipment (added 02-Oct-2026)
Discover essential guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE) in science and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning environments. Learn proper standards for eye protection, hearing, footwear, and gloves.
Safety Data Sheets (added 02-Oct-2026)
Learn how Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provide critical chemical hazard, handling, storage, and emergency information. Discover requirements for maintaining accessible SDSs and conducting employee training in K–12 science programs.
Appendix J - Acronyms (added 02-Oct-2026)
List of acronyms used for the science safety handbook.
Tools, Equipment, and Machinery Safety (added 02-Oct-2026)
Examine key safety protocols for tools, machinery, and technical education. Discover strategies for mandatory hazard assessments, power tool guarding, workpiece clamping, and essential personal protective equipment.

Vignette: Safety Data Sheet (added 02-Oct-2026)
Analyze a high school chemistry scenario focused on interpreting chemical safety sheets. See how hazard matrixes, claim-evidence-reasoning writing, and pictogram analysis empower students to evaluate risk and select required protective gear.
California Education Code (added 02-Oct-2026)
Explore core California Education Code mandates for school laboratory environments. See state requirements covering workstation limits, eye protection standards, animal rights alternatives, safety plans, and health instruction.
California Code of Regulations (added 02-Oct-2026)
California Code of Regulations Title 8 safety mandates for laboratories. Review state rules governing fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, emergency eyewash stations, spill protocols, chemical storage, exposure plans, and first aid.
Health and Safety Code (added 02-Oct-2026)
Navigate California Health and Safety Code standards for science facilities. Survey requirements detailing humane animal treatment, department inspection powers, hazardous waste transport policies, and emergency release response plans.
Vignette Learning to Dissect Safely in a High Scho (added 02-Oct-2026)
Review a practical high school biology scenario detailing safe dissection practices. See how pre-lab warmups, tool demonstrations, clear group roles, and step-by-step sanitation build a culture of responsibility in secondary classrooms.