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«Back to all edWebinarsStrengthen PreK – Elementary Literacy Outcomes: Identify Needs, Prioritize Support, and Make Investments Count
Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST
Strengthen PreK – Elementary Literacy Outcomes: Identify Needs, Prioritize Support, and Make Investments Count
Presented by Joey Dawson, Ed.D., Former Federal Programs Director, Current Senior Sales Associate, OxEd; and Anne Penn Cox, Ed.D., Former Principal, Washington School and Winans Primary School, Livingston Public Schools (MT), and Current Senior Strategic Implementation Manager, OxEd
Sponsored by OxEd
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With competing priorities, limited resources, and increasing pressure to demonstrate impact on literacy outcomes for PreK to elementary students, district leaders face important decisions about how to make the most of available federal funding. But how can districts use Title I, II, and III funding strategically to address student needs and strengthen literacy outcomes?
Federal funding provides opportunities to support literacy improvement, from targeted support for students to professional development and services for English learners. Understanding the purpose of each funding stream, how funds can be used, and where they align with district priorities is essential to making informed investment decisions.
This edLeader Panel will help district leaders navigate Title I, II, and III funding opportunities, explore how each funding stream can support literacy improvement, and understand how evidence-based oral language assessment and intervention can contribute to stronger literacy outcomes.
Key learning objectives include:
- Understanding federal funding: Explore the purpose of Title I, II, and III funding, their key differences, and how each can support district literacy priorities.
- Using each funding stream effectively: Understand how districts can use eligible funding to support targeted student interventions, professional development, and English learner needs.
- Identifying opportunities to strengthen literacy: Explore why oral language is fundamental to reading development and how identifying underlying language needs can inform more effective literacy support.
- Connecting funding to evidence-based solutions: Understand how oral language solutions may align with the objectives of Title I, II, and III programs.
- Planning strategic investments: Consider how to align funding decisions with student needs, existing literacy initiatives, and current or upcoming budget planning cycles.
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of Title I, II, and III funding, practical considerations for using each funding stream to support PreK to elementary literacy improvement, and insights into how OxEd's TEL Ted Program can help districts identify oral language needs earlier and deliver targeted support. This edLeader Panel will be of interest to PreK through elementary school and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Joey Dawson, Ed.D., brings more than 20 years of experience in K–12 education, with a background in classroom instruction, school leadership, and district administration. He began his career teaching fourth and fifth grades before serving as an elementary assistant principal and principal. He later transitioned to central office leadership, overseeing assessment, elementary curriculum, federal programs, and transportation. Dr. Dawson currently serves as Senior Sales Associate for OxEd (US), supporting schools in identifying and addressing students’ oral language needs to strengthen literacy outcomes. Dr. Dawson holds degrees in business administration, elementary education, and instructional leadership, as well as an Ed.D. in instructional leadership from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at UAB and the University of North Alabama, where he is passionate about preparing future educators and school leaders.
Anne Penn Cox, Ed.D., OxEd's Senior Strategic Implementation Manager, is a former teacher, elementary principal, and director of student support/early childhood liaison who has led and supported district- and state-level early language and literacy initiatives. Her work has included redesigning PreK–1 language and literacy supports, implementing oral language screening and tiered support through OxEd’s LanguageScreen and TEL Ted Program, and strengthening MTSS aligned to the Science of Reading. Her doctoral research focused on implementing inclusive practices through design-based school improvement. During Montana’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant, she helped strengthen early identification practices and modernize reading disability identification to increase equity for learners. Outside of work, she enjoys running, skiing, and snowmobiling in the mountains and spending time with her partner and their two birddogs, Cricket and June Shirley.
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OxEd is a University of Oxford spinout created to translate decades of research on children’s early language development into practical tools for schools. Our flagship TEL Ted Program helps educators to improve literacy outcomes for 4–7-year-olds. It gives schools an easy, accurate way to identify early language needs and deliver targeted support. TEL Ted is proven to improve children’s language skills, boost reading comprehension, and reduce the incidence of Special Education.
