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«Back to all edWebinarsPolicy Into Practice: State Literacy Leadership
Thursday, September 24, 2026 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
Presented by Bobbie Burnham, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Teaching and Learning, Minnesota Department of Education; Dr. Claudia Ladd, Literacy and Early Childhood Division Administrator, CLSD Language and Literacy Director, and Education Innovation Research Grant Director, Wyoming Department of Education; and Maya Valencia Goodall, Chief Impact Officer, CORE Learning
Sponsored by CORE Learning
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This third edWebinar of Structured Language & Literacy Week for Leaders will give district and state leaders a clear look at how literacy legislation becomes literacy practice. The panelists will share how state leadership interprets policy and the decisions that shape how it moves forward across districts.
Key topics covered include:
- From Legislation to Action: How state leaders interpret literacy policy and translate it into practice
- Lessons Learned: Course corrections made along the way, and what they would do differently
- Constraints and Directives: What state leaders wish districts understood about the pressures they navigate
- Building Coherence: How shared understanding between state and district leaders supports smoother implementation
- Accelerating Progress: What has worked well enough that other states could learn from it directly, rather than starting from the beginning
By the conclusion of the session, attendees will be able to:
- Understand how legislation moves from policy into practice at the state level
- Identify constraints and directives that shape state-level decision making
- Apply lessons learned from other states to accelerate their own progress
Attendees walk away with a clearer picture of the state-level view, along with practical insight they can use to build coherence and accelerate their own progress. This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 state leaders, district leaders, and policymakers.
This edWebinar is part of Structured Language & Literacy Week for Leaders.
About the Presenters
As Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Teaching and Learning, Bobbie Burnham oversees the divisions of Early Learning Services; Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment; and Libraries and Out-of-School Time at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). Bobbie’s skills and expertise focus on leveraging connections among early care and education programs and the K-12 system to create a comprehensive and inclusive early learning framework that spans birth through age eight. Bobbie has been committed to the implementation of innovative learning strategies and evidence-based practices as a teacher, coach, school administrator, and staff developer. She started her career as a kindergarten teacher, worked with the Minnesota Center for Reading Research for eight years as a Reading First Coordinator, and has been with MDE for over eight years. Bobbie holds a master’s degree in literacy education, a certificate in professional development, and a K-12 reading specialist licensure from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Dr. Claudia Ladd is a language and literacy systems leader with 25 years of experience advancing evidence-based practice across classroom, school, district, state, and national contexts. Grounded in the Science of Reading, her work focuses on building coherent, sustainable systems that strengthen instruction, leadership, and student outcomes from early childhood through grade 12. She has led and supported statewide literacy initiatives, educator preparation and curriculum reviews, district and school diagnostic analyses, professional development evaluations, and large-scale curricular reform efforts. Dr. Ladd specializes in translating language and literacy research, education policy, and legislative priorities into actionable guidance for states, districts, schools, and national partners. Through cross-state collaboration and national partnerships, she works to bridge research, policy, and implementation, helping education systems move from intention to lasting impact while expanding access to high-quality, evidence-based language and literacy instruction.
Maya Valencia Goodall is the Chief Impact Officer of CORE Learning and an education entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in bilingual literacy, language acquisition, and edtech. She co-created CORE’s Online Language & Literacy Academy (OL&LA), advancing a language-centered approach to Structured Literacy that supports Multilingual Learners, English variety speakers, and students with dyslexia. Prior to CORE, Maya co-founded Lingual Learning, later acquired by Rosetta Stone/Lexia, where she led development of the award-winning Lexia English program. She holds master’s degrees in education and applied linguistics and is passionate about honoring students’ diverse language backgrounds.
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For 25+ years, CORE has pioneered evidence-based and research-grounded professional learning experiences and school supports that equip educators with the tools they need to advance rigorous instruction, high-quality materials, and effective assessments. CORE partners with educators to strengthen the foundations of teaching and learning, ensuring all students experience a rigorous, relevant, and inclusive public education.