Literacy Professional Development Programs
Information regarding in-service professional development programs for effective means of teaching literacy.This web page is intended to provide local educational agencies (LEAs) and professional development (PD) providers information regarding the selection and development of PD programs for teaching literacy in transitional kindergarten through grade five (TK–5), including funding available to LEAs and the timeline and process for program approval.
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 directs 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 PD programs for effective means of teaching literacy in TK‒5, with a list of in-service PD programs that have been deemed to meet those criteria.
Program Authorization
- Assembly Bill 121, Section 15 (Statutes of 2025) of the Education Omnibus Trailer Bill
- Senate Bill 147, Section 15 (Statutes of 2025) of the Education Omnibus Trailer Bill
- Senate Bill 105, Sections 195 and 214 (Budget Acts of 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025)
- EC Section 33319
Additional Information
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Professional Development Programs Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| CDE posts draft evaluation criteria and guidance online for public review and comment | October 2025 |
SBE Meeting:
SBE approves evaluation criteria and guidance |
November 5, 2025 |
CDE releases Invitation to Submit PD Programs (DOCX) Invitation to Submit Errata: Provides correction regarding the due date for the Intent to Submit Literacy PD Programs. The correct date is Monday, January 12, 2026. |
December 2025 |
| PD program submission period | December 2025–February 2026 |
Literacy PD Program Submission Technical Assistance Session |
January 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Webinar registration has closed. |
PD provider Intent to Submit due Intent to Submit Errata: Provides corrections regarding submitting programs and supplemental materials. |
Monday, January 12, 2026, 4 p.m. |
Review Committee application period Information for Literacy PD Programs Review Committee Applicants(DOCX) |
February 12, 2026, 4 p.m. Review Committee Application has closed. |
| PD programs fees due | February 13, 2026 |
Literacy PD Programs Submission Survey and Evidentiary Materials due |
February 20, 2026, 4 p.m Literacy PD Programs Submission Survey has closed. |
Literacy PD Programs Webinar for LEAs (2025–26)
|
March 23, 2026, 9–10 a.m. Webinar registration has closed. |
| Committee review and deliberation | March–May 2026 |
| CDE posts final program recommendations online for public review | June 2026 |
| Public comment on program recommendations | July 2026 |
SBE Meeting: SBE approves PD programs list |
September 9–10, 2026 |
| CDE posts list of SBE-approved PD programs | By September 30, 2026 |
Literacy PD Program Webinar for LEAs (2026–27) Technical assistance webinar for LEAs on the criteria, guidance, and list of approved PD programs |
October 2026 |
Funding for Local Educational Agencies
Assembly Bill 121 appropriates $200 million in funding to be allocated to 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. An LEA may use the apportioned funds to provide PD opportunities using a program from the SBE-approved list, a program not on the list, or an LEA-developed program, provided that the program aligns to the SBE-approved criteria.
In addition, Senate Bill 105, Section 194, provision 130 (Budget Acts of 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025), appropriated $600,000 for allocation to Marin County Office of Education to support the implementation of the requirements of EC Section 33319.6. The funding profile is linked below.
Funding Profile: Literacy Professional Development—Implementation
Local Educational Agency 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
Criteria and Guidance
On November 5, 2025, the SBE approved the Criteria and Guidance for the Selection or Development of Literacy PD Programs. The document is intended for use by PD providers interested in submitting programs for approval; the SBE, the CDE, and reviewers in the PD program review and approval process; and LEAs in the selection or development of literacy PD programs. EC Section 33319.6 requires the SBE and CDE to solicit interest holder input when developing the criteria, guidance, and list of PD programs. Interest holder input, gathered via a survey in October 2025, informed targeted revisions to both the criteria and the guidance appropriate to the scope of a PD program covering the breadth of topics named in the statute. The final SBE-approved document is linked below. The Literacy PD Programs Evaluation Rubric referenced in this document is now available in the Evaluation Rubric Section below.
Criteria and Guidance for the Selection or Development of Literacy PD Programs(DOCX)
Evaluation Rubric
The Literacy PD Programs Evaluation Rubric was developed in alignment with the SBE-approved criteria. The evaluation rubric is intended for use by:
- PD providers interested in submitting literacy PD programs for SBE approval.
- The SBE, CDE, and review committee in the review and approval process.
- LEAs selecting PD programs that meet the SBE-approved criteria.
- LEAs developing and/or refining literacy PD programs that meet the SBE-approved criteria.
Invitation to Submit Literacy Professional Development Programs
The Invitation to Submit Literacy PD Programs document provided valuable guidance for PD providers, including LEAs, that participated in the process for SBE approval for the literacy PD programs list. This document, which is linked below, describes program requirements, as well as the processes for the intent to submit form, fee collection, program submission, and program review.
Invitation to Submit Literacy PD Programs(DOCX)
Participating Literacy Professional Development Providers and Programs
The following is a list of literacy PD providers that submitted programs for review, along with the program names listed on their applications.
| Provider | Program Name |
|---|---|
95 Percent Group Limited Liability Company (LLC) |
Top 10 Tools by 95 Percent Group™ International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Pathway (Top 10 Tools IDA Pathway) |
Amplify Education, Incorperated (Inc.) |
Science of Reading: The Learning Lab Course, 1: Foundations to the Science of Reading, Course 2: Advanced Topics in the Science of Reading, Course 3: Applied Structured Literacy |
Be GLAD, LLC |
Be GLAD Training: Elementary, Pre-K, Premium, Advanced Coaching for Educators (ACE), Certified Agency Trainers (CAT), Awareness, Cognitive Coaching |
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) |
Biliteracy, Equity, Alignment, Comprehension, Oral Language Navigational Systems (BEACONS) Comprehensive Literacy Professional Learning Program |
California Reading and Literature Project |
RESULTS for Word Recognition (RWR), RESULTS for Reading Comprehension (RRC), Learning How English Works (LHEW), Spanish-English Biliteracy Transfer (SEBT), Early Learning Foundations (ELF) |
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) |
CAL Literacy: Comprehensive Approach to Literacy Instruction, Lectoescritura bilingüe en la primaria (Literacy Instruction in Primary Grades) |
Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) |
CAREIALL: Advancing Language and Literacy K–12 |
Consortium On Reaching Excellence in Education, Inc. - DBA CORE Learning |
Online Language and Literacy Academy - Elementary (OL&LA-E), Coaching and Site Implementation Support. |
Consortium On Reaching Excellence in Education, Inc. - DBA CORE Learning |
Elementary Reading Academy (ERA), Coaching and Site Implementation Support |
Corwin Press Inc, a Sage Publication Inc. company |
Teaching Reading |
EL Education |
EL Education K–5 English Language Arts (ELA) Professional Learning |
Empowered Readers, LLC |
Orton-Gillingham Introductory Course, Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator Course, Orton-Gillingham Associate Course, Orton-Gillingham Clinical (formerly Certified; title transition currently in process at the Orton-Gillingham Academy) Course, Orton-Gillingham Fellow Course |
Ensemble Learning |
Ensemble Learning: Literacy Professional Learning for Multilingual Learners |
Glean Education |
Glean Education's Evidence-Based Literacy Professional Learning |
Greenfield Learning |
Comprehensive Literacy: Making the Connections |
Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) |
IMSE Orton-Gillingham+ (with included add on courses "IMSE Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension" and "IMSE IMSE Student Centered Teaching"), IMSE Morphology+ (with included add on course "IMSE Writing and Grammar"), IMSE Intervention and Support for Striving Readers, IMSE Pre-K Literacy Plus |
Instruction Partners |
Building Instructional Leadership Capacity in K–5 ELA |
Katherine Casey Spengler, PhD Education Consultant |
Best Practices in TK–2 Literacy Instruction Best Practices in Grades 3–6 Literacy Instruction |
Kern County Superintendent of Schools |
Navigating Literacy and English Learner Toolkit of Strategies |
Keys to Literacy by K12 Coalition |
Keys to Comprehensive Literacy (K–5, California) |
Leading Educators (LE), Inc. |
LE California Literacy Professional Learning Program (TK–5). |
Lexia Learning |
Lexia® LETRS® |
Literacy Squared |
Literacy Squared/Lecto-escritura al cuadrado® |
LitLife, Inc. |
Science of Reading and Structured Literacy K–8 |
Los Angeles County Office of Education |
Getting Reading Right, Grades TK–5 |
Nancy Redding, self-employed |
Classroom Educator course, according to the curriculum laid out by the Orton-Gilligham Academy |
One Learning California LLC |
LearnSync Literacy Program consists of the following two course bundle: Introduction to Structured Literacy, Launch into Structured Literacy |
OneBrainScience |
45-Hour Comprehensive Structured Literacy Course, with optional Literacy Coaching |
OneBrainScience |
20-Hour Structured Literacy Essentials Course, with optional Coaching |
PDX Reading Specialist |
LITERACY FOR ALL: A Universal, Comprehensive, Prevention-Focused Professional Learning Model Ensuring Equitable Access to Explicit and Systematic Literacy Instruction for All Students |
Public Consulting Group LLC |
Building a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Literacy Success Portfolio: 1. Teacher Program: Building a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Literacy Success (45 hours), 2. Leadership Program: Building a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Literacy Success (20 hours), 3. Support Staff Program: Building a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Literacy Success (15 hours), 4. Targeted Program: Dyslexia Playbook (12 hours) |
Reading Horizons DBA HEC Software |
Reading Horizons Professional Learning Suite |
Sacramento County Office of Education |
Program Title: California READS Program Series Titles: California READS Introduction, California READS Module 1 Literacy Assessment, California READS Module 2 Oral Language and Comprehensive English Language Development (ELD), California READS Module 3 Print Concepts, California READS Module 4 Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness, California READS Module 5 Early Phonics, California READS Module 6 Multisyllabic Word Decoding California READS Module 7 Fluency, California READS Module 8 Vocabulary, California READS Module 9 Background Knowledge and Comprehension, California READS Module 10 Foundations of Skilled Writing California READS Wrap Up |
San Diego County Office of Education |
Literacy and Language for Multilingual Learner Success |
Savvas Learning Company |
Savvas High Quality Professional Learning: myView Literacy/miVisión Lectura (K–5) and myVoice |
SchoolKit, LLC |
SchoolKit Customized Literacy PD Partnerships |
Silver Lining Educational Services, Inc. |
Structured Literacy: Orton-Gillingham Explicit Instruction Approach/Classroom Educator-Associate Practitioner |
Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL) |
Literacy and Learning for California’s Classrooms Module 1: An Integrated and Comprehensive Approach to Literacy, Module 2: Language-Based Skills, Module 3: English Medium Classrooms: Code-Based Skills, Module 3: Dual Language Classrooms: Biliteracy and Code-Based Skills, Module 4: Integrated & Designated ELD |
Solution Tree, Inc. |
Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction for Every Learner |
Study Smart Tutors, Inc. |
Study Smart Tutors Early Literacy PD Program (TK–5) |
Teaching Lab |
Teaching Lab + Relay: TK–5 Structured Literacy Professional Learning Program |
The Center for Model Schools, a part of HMH Education Company |
Literacy Professional Learning Suite |
The Reading League |
Building Coherent, Evidence-Aligned Literacy Systems; Professional Learning Series for Teachers & Leaders; Building Coherent Literacy Systems through the Science of Reading: What Leaders Need to Know Teaching Reading With Intention & Evidence; Essentials of Phonemic Awareness; Essentials of Phonic Knowledge; Remediating Gaps in Word Recognition; Essentials of Fluency; Essentials of Assessment; Advanced Word Study; Language & Vocabulary Development; Building Comprehension: Knowledge, Complex Text, & Metacognition; Essentials of Writing; Sentence Level Comprehension & Composition; Data-Driven Literacy Instruction: Practical Guide to Assessment, Analysis, & Intervention; Leading Instructional Shifts: Focus on Implementation & De-Implementation |
TNTP, Inc. |
Professional Learning Sessions: TNTP will offer an integrated range of services under Elevating Literacy Excellence (ELE) |
University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) |
UFLI Foundations for California Readers |
Words in the Wild |
Comprehensive Literacy PD package |
Review Committee
Literacy PD Review Committee Members were selected through a formal application process, for their expertise in effective means of teaching literacy in TK‒5, English language development, and the precepts of effective PD. The committee will review literacy PD program submissions for alignment with the SBE-approved Criteria for the Selection or Development of Literacy PD Programs to determine which PD programs shall be recommended for SBE approval. Committee members are required to attest that they do not have a conflict of interest with any entity whose program they will review. Review Committee sessions will be hosted by the California Department of Education and facilitated by the external contractor, WestEd.