Literacy Professional Development Programs

Information regarding in-service professional development programs for effective means of teaching literacy.

Assembly Bill 121, Section 15 (Statutes of 2025) of the Education Omnibus Trailer Bill added Section 33319.6 to the California Education Code (EC). EC Section 33319.6 authorizes the California State Board of Education (SBE) to approve and the California Department of Education (CDE) to post on its internet website by September 30, 2026, criteria and guidance for the selection or development of in-service professional development (PD) programs for effective means of teaching literacy in transitional kindergarten through grade five (TK‒5), with a list of in-service PD programs that have been deemed to meet those criteria.

Program Authorization

Eligibility and Funding

Assembly Bill 121 appropriates $200 million in funding to be allocated to local educational agencies (LEAs) from the 2026–27 to the 2029–30 fiscal years. Funding will be made available for the purposes of training certificated and classified staff who provide literacy instruction, or who support any teacher who provides literacy instruction, to pupils in grades TK‒5, using PD programs that meet the criteria and guidance approved pursuant to EC Section 33319.6. Funds will be apportioned to LEAs in an equal amount per full-time equivalent certificated staff who teach pupils in grades TK‒5.

Reporting

LEAs receiving funds will be required to submit a report by September 1, 2029, in a form and manner determined by the CDE. Reporting will include the following information:

Number of teachers that received professional development
Professional development program(s) used

Professional Development Programs List Timeline

The CDE will announce a request for submissions of PD programs for review following SBE approval of the criteria and guidance. An estimated timeline for the PD programs list will be provided when available.

Additional Information

Stay informed on statewide literacy initiatives in California! Join the CDE’s Literacy listserv by sending a blank email to: join-cde-literacy@mlist.cde.ca.gov.

Questions:  Professional Learning Innovations Office | PLIO@cde.ca.gov

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, August 06, 2025

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