Children's Literacy Initiative

Our Mission

Children's Literacy Initiative works with pre-kindergarten through third grade teachers to transform instruction so that children can become powerful readers, writers and thinkers. CLI's focus on improving literacy instruction in the early grades is grounded in research: we know that reading proficiently by the end of third grade is key for future success, and that teaching quality has a greater effect on student achievement than any other in-school factor. In partnership with teachers, principals, and district leaders, CLI provides educators with training and coaching in the most effective practices for early literacy instruction, extends these services with online professional development resources, and stocks classrooms with learning materials and collections of high-quality children’s literature. To support sustainable change in under-resourced and underperforming schools, we establish CLI Model Classrooms™, concrete examples of expert literacy instruction in action. Model Classrooms are eye-openers: by showing what is possible in a real classroom, it raises teachers' expectations for their students and for themselves.