Supporting Districts

Literacy Systems Snapshot:

A Short-Term, Qualitative Inquiry for District Leaders

The Literacy Systems Snapshot is a focused review designed to help districts see those patterns more clearly.

This work is most useful when outcomes feel stalled, intervention numbers are rising, or leaders sense that effort and results are no longer aligned.

The Snapshot does not begin with a solution. It begins with disciplined listening.

How I Work

My approach draws on qualitative research methods adapted for district contexts:

• Structured listening with stakeholders across roles and buildings

• Analysis of how instructional, curricular, and assessment practices intersect

• Attention to transitions—between grades, buildings, and tiers of support

• A focus on sensemaking rather than quick fixes

The aim is to help leaders see where pressure is building in the system, where efforts are misaligned, and where small, strategic changes can have outsized impact.

Districts have described this work as creating relief: fewer competing explanations, clearer priorities, and a shared language for addressing persistent challenges.