The Power of a Vision for Literacy Equity

Creating the Conditions for Every Child to Thrive

Every child deserves a joyful, literacy-rich learning environment that affirms their identity, nurtures their curiosity, and equips them with the skills to express themselves and engage with the world. Yet, too often, inconsistencies in early learning experiences create barriers to success—especially for multilingual learners and children from historically marginalized communities.

At Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI), we believe that a strong vision is the foundation for ensuring that every child can grow and develop as a confident and capable learner. A shared vision brings coherence and intentionality to the learning experiences children encounter each day, aligning the materials, interactions, and instruction that shape their literacy development.

A Collaborative Approach:

How CLI Supports Schools in Creating a Shared Vision

In our ongoing partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, CLI worked with early learning leaders to design and implement a cohesive vision that put children’s experiences at the center.

Before this effort, early childhood classrooms had vastly different approaches, and children’s experiences depended on individual teacher practices rather than a shared framework for learning. By facilitating collaborative vision-setting, learning walks, and professional learning experiences, CLI helped early learning programs:

  • Create more connected literacy experiences throughout the day, strengthening oral language, comprehension, and early writing.
  • Implement structured supports for multilingual learners, ensuring that language development was embedded in daily interactions.
  • Build leaders’ capacity to sustain and expand this work beyond CLI’s involvement.
  • Within two years, teacher and leader practice improved significantly, and more importantly, children experienced a more consistent, intentional, and equitable approach to early literacy.

Want to explore this initiative in depth? Read our Case Study on Advancing Early Childhood Education in Massachusetts.

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Actionable Steps for Leaders:

Building a Vision That Centers Children

Actionable Steps for Leaders

If you are ready to create or refine a vision that supports every child’s literacy journey, here are key steps to consider:

1

Engage Families & Educators

A strong vision reflects the voices and lived experiences of children, caregivers, and the educators who support them.

2

Anchor in Research & Equity

Use evidence-based literacy practices while ensuring that multilingual learners and historically marginalized children receive the resources and supports they need to thrive.

3

Define Core Learning Experiences

Identify the essential components of early literacy experiences, ensuring a balance of oral language, reading, writing, and critical thinking opportunities each day.

4

Support Educators as Leaders

Professional learning and coaching should equip teachers with strategies that bring the vision to life in real classrooms.

5

Monitor & Adjust with a Child-Centered Approach

Regular reflection, classroom observations, and child engagement should inform how the vision evolves over time.

Ready to build a vision that creates meaningful experiences for children? Let’s talk about how CLI can support your journey! Connect directly with Michele LaCoursiere-Ferrer, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships.

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