Guide to Literacy Visions & Strategic Planning
A Literacy Vision & Strategic Plan is a critical tool for districts and networks committed to improving student literacy outcomes. It establishes a foundation for system-wide change by aligning curriculum, instruction, assessment, support systems, professional learning, and improvement monitoring. This guide will help you create your own Literacy Vision & Strategic Plan (LVSP):
What is a Literacy Vision & Strategic Plan?
A Literacy Vision & Strategic Plan (LVSP) is a district- or network-wide roadmap for improving literacy outcomes.
Why are LVSPs important?
A strong LVSP unites school systems around a research-based approach to help every student become a proficient reader. It clarifies instructional priorities, goals, and roles, aligning educators, leaders, families, and community partners around a shared purpose. A well-designed plan supports coherent instruction, effective use of resources, and data-driven decisions, creating the conditions for equitable literacy outcomes and long-term student success.
What are the key components of an LVSP?
While formats may vary, every LVSP should include several core elements:
Literacy Vision: A statement that outlines the beliefs, instructional priorities, and structural commitments to ensure every student becomes a proficient reader through evidence-based instruction grounded in the science of reading (SoR).
Curriculum & Instruction: A teaching framework delivering evidence-based curriculum and tiered SoR-aligned instruction that addresses all six pillars of reading: oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Structured Assessment System: A comprehensive set of tools and checkpoints, including screeners, diagnostics, progress monitoring, and summative assessments, to guide instruction and intervention.
Year-Round Professional Learning & Coaching: Ongoing, job-embedded training and support to build knowledge and practice.
Strong Leadership: Literacy-focused leadership at every level to foster a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement.
Family & Community Engagement: Strategies and tools to actively involve families and community partnerships in literacy efforts.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Consistent checkpoints to monitor both teacher development and student achievement, using data to guide instruction, track progress, and refine practices.
Strategic Intervention Systems: Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) that provide explicit, targeted interventions for students who may have additional needs. This includes transparent processes and criteria for identifying students with dyslexia and other reading challenges, as well as the materials, staff, and tools needed to deliver support and track student progress.
How do I create an LVSP?
Creating an LVSP is a collaborative, data-informed process that blends research with community and stakeholder input.
Key Steps:
Conduct a needs assessment. Analyze student outcomes, educator capacity, instructional materials, and system readiness.
Gather diverse stakeholder input. Use empathy interviews, focus groups, or surveys with teachers, leaders, families, and community partners to develop a well-rounded understanding.
Co-construct a Literacy Vision and goals. Define shared beliefs and measurable outcomes, centered on equity and grounded in SoR.
Identify actionable priorities. Pinpoint strategic actions and map them across key components of your literacy plan (e.g., instruction, coaching, assessment, leadership, community engagement) as well as stages of implementation.
Plan for implementation. Develop timelines, assign roles, and identify necessary resources and supports.
Who should be involved in creating an LVSP?
Developing an LVSP requires broad collaboration and buy-in. This not only ensures the plan reflects the insights of those closest to implementation, but also fosters collective efficacy—a shared belief in the group’s ability to drive change, which research shows leads to stronger outcomes. Key stakeholders may include:
School leaders and district administrators representing all tiers of instruction
Teachers and instructional coaches across grades and content areas
Specialists, such as interventionists, EL coordinators, and special education leads, to ensure inclusive planning
Families and caregivers
Students, when developmentally appropriate
Optional: Community partners (e.g., public libraries, early childhood centers)
Optional: Local teacher preparation programs
Optional: Policy or union representation, especially in districts with strong collective bargaining environments
What happens after the LVSP is complete?
Implementation is just as critical as the plan itself. These steps will help support sustained, effective adoption:
Clarify roles and responsibilities. Ensure each stakeholder understands their role and the rationale behind the plan.
Communicate the vision widely. Make the LVSP visible, accessible, and easy to understand, maintaining regular communication (e.g., “literacy corner” of the staff newsletter) throughout the rollout and refinement phases to acknowledge and celebrate successes.
Implement the plan and monitor progress. Embed the plan into daily practice, leveraging existing structures such as coaching, leadership meetings, and team huddles to implement and reinforce priorities.
Empower leaders and build capacity. Establish a dedicated literacy leadership team to guide implementation, refine strategy, and support school-based teams.
Support continuous improvement. Use ongoing data and feedback to refine and sustain efforts.
Can you give me a real example?
In 2023, FULCRUM partnered with Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) to lead the development of their LVSP. Working alongside the district’s Literacy Effectiveness Officer, FULCRUM provided virtual and in-person coaching throughout the process.
How long did the process take?
Summer 2023—Virtual Coaching
Identified key LVSP criteria
Gathered stakeholder input through focus groups and cross-departmental consultations
Drafted SCCPSS’s complete LVSP
Conferred with department leads representing the Office of Instructional Excellence, Office of School Leadership, and Office of Strategy, Innovation, and Performance to revise and refine the LVSP
Submitted the LVSP for review and approval by the Chief of Academics, Chief of Schools, and Deputy Superintendent
Submitted and LVSP for School Board review and approval
Fall 2023—In-Person Coaching
Designed and led a literacy learning walk (LLW) with district and site leaders
Facilitated an LLW debrief to calibrate on what strong literacy instruction looks like
Guided participants through a self-evaluation using a draft implementation rubric, followed by a discussion to assess the system’s current stage of implementation
Began drafting implementation guides for three key components of the LVSP:
Leadership
Professional learning
Universal literacy instruction
Spring 2024—In-Person Coaching
Facilitated a collaborative session focused on introducing the implementation guides and creating guidance for targeting each of the LVSP’s key components (e.g., instruction, professional development, assessment, leadership, data-based decision making, intervention, community involvement)
What did SCCPSS’s LVSP include?
A district-wide vision grounded in the SoR
A visual, actionable framework, focused on student outcomes, equity, and systems coherence
Alignment across instruction, professional development, assessment, leadership, data-based decision making, intervention, and community involvement
Implementation tools (e.g., templates, guides, assessment maps) to translate the vision into school-level practice
Who was involved in the creation process?
Literacy Effectiveness Officer (Lead)
District and system leaders—superintendent, chiefs / directors of instruction, school leadership, and student services
School site leaders—principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, academic coaches
Specialists and MTSS team members
Classroom educators
FULCRUM as an external design and facilitation partner
Where can I find SCCPSS’s final LVSP?
The final LVSP is available HERE.
What were SCCPSS’s key takeaways from the experience?
Cross-role alignment strengthens coherence. The process helped unify efforts across school and district levels.
Implementation tools drive clarity. The co-created Implementation Guide helped leaders understand the why behind the LVSP and clarified the who, what, when, and how of execution.
Collaboration increases ownership and collective efficacy. Involving site and district leaders in the development process led to stronger buy-in and readiness.
Dedicated time for coaching and collaboration is essential. Protected time to internalize routines and build site-based literacy leadership teams is vital.
Where should I begin—do you have a template?
FULCRUM has a template to help you and your team get started. You can find the document HERE.
Additional Resources:
Example LVSP: Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Example LVSP: Mississippi Department of Education
Example Literacy Visions & Implementation Guidelines: Instruction Partners’ Sample Visions & Defining Roles / Responsibilities
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