What We Do

FULCRUM is uniting people across communities to drive change.

This requires a collective effort—every educator, policymaker, system leader, parent, and community member must be aligned to turn the tide.

Driven by our belief that all children must learn to read, we are changing hearts and minds and catalyzing action.

Who do we work with?

  • School districts

  • Community-based organizations

  • Educator preparation programs

  • Labor associations

  • Departments of education

OUR IMPACT

We are paving the way for change.

Some days we act as a voice—contributing to expert panels, facilitating discussions, and serving as keynote speakers—while others we are on the ground hosting Literacy Learning Walks and supporting system leaders as they create and implement "Literacy Visions" for their districts.

keynote, breakout, and panel presentations delivered since 2021

103

districts and networks engaged in formal partnerships since 2022

10

students supported through system-leader coaching from 2023–2024

5.5K

No matter our involvement, this philosophy remains at the heart of everything we do:

Changing Hearts & Minds

Shifting mindsets and helping people leave behind long-held but ineffective beliefs about instruction and what children can do. An openness to change is essential for sustained action.

Changing Hearts & Minds

Catalyzing Action

Catalyzing Action

Providing the support, guidance, and resources system and site leaders need to implement and sustain a shift to structured literacy practice. Building the capacity of leaders creates lasting change.

We have a roadmap to success.

Districts and networks face distinct challenges due to differences in conditions and resources. They must select tools that successfully align with their unique needs. While implementation may vary, however, the roadmap to success remains the same. These Eight Essential Practices are universal:

Eight Science of Reading (SOR) Essential Practices

1

Foster a culture for SOR to thrive

2

Empower a literacy chief

3

Adopt high-quality curriculum aligned with teacher prep time

4

Hire SOR-trained teachers

5

Provide ongoing SOR professional development

6

Mandate universal screening

7

Employ “safety nets”/multi-tiered systems of support

8

Require data-informed decision making

*FULCRUM’s essential practices are inspired by Oakland NAACP’s Administrative Petition to Improve Literacy Scores Among Oakland Public School Students.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

Educating | Disrupting | Connecting

FULCRUM is changing hearts and minds and catalyzing action, both of which are necessary for creating lasting change.