A webinar series discussing how family partnerships, support for older readers, and access to diverse, representative materials fuel resource equity in literacy reform efforts
December 08, 2025 by EdTrust 
Literacy unlocks the world around us — it opens doors to economic opportunity, fuels civic participation, and lays the foundation for lifelong learning. While improving literacy outcomes is a priority for many states, schools, and districts, education advocates play an important role in ensuring that resources are allocated equitably to ensure that policy momentum translates into meaningful opportunities for every student to become a skillful, engaged reader.
In this series, EdTrust experts share strategies, stories, and tools to help advocates and leaders advance equitable literacy reform by exploring three dimensions of “unlocking” stronger literacy opportunities: engaging and mobilizing families, supporting readers across all grade levels, and ensuring students see their identities reflected in what they read.
In this first webinar, EdTrust explores what it truly means to empower families as partners in literacy and why authentic engagement, not just notification, is essential for improving student literacy outcomes. Panelists from Read By 4th, Families In Schools, and ParentShield share how their organizations equip parents and caregivers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to navigate literacy reforms, advocate for stronger instruction, and hold systems accountable. The discussion highlights what “parent power” looks like in practice, including strategies for ensuring that all families have access to clear, culturally affirming information and opportunities to collaborate across education, health, and community systems in support of children’s reading success.
In the second webinar of this series, EdTrust convenes researchers, advocates, and education leaders to discuss how systems can better meet the needs of older readers. While much of the national conversation on literacy focuses on the early grades, panelists in this webinar explore why sustained attention to adolescent literacy is essential for ensuring all students have the skills and confidence in reading to succeed.
Panelists from Seek Common Ground, Reading Reimagined, and EdTrust-New York share insights from research, policy, and practice — highlighting what secondary educators need to effectively support older readers, the need for richer data to understand foundational skill gaps, and how to make a compelling case for investment amid constrained district budgets. Together, they outline what it will take to achieve real progress over the next five years and how advocates can help build the momentum needed to make equitable literacy opportunities a reality for every student.
In the final webinar, EdTrust leads a conversation around the importance of diverse and representative texts in high-quality literacy instruction and how advocates can protect students’ right to read amid rising censorship and book bans in public education. After powerful opening remarks, panelists from EveryLibrary, EdTrust in Louisiana, and Oakland Schools share their experiences and expertise on how inclusive texts support deeper comprehension, critical thinking, engagement, and a deeper sense of belonging for all students.
The discussion highlights how curricular choices shape access to culturally relevant materials, the research linking representation to stronger literacy outcomes, and practical strategies for implementing inclusive texts in schools and districts. Panelists also address the current landscape of book bans, strategies for pushing back against censorship, and suggestions for advocates to champion representative literacy materials and advance inclusive, high-quality reading instruction in their communities.
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