The Literacy Leader Cohort (LLC) launched in July 2024 with one clear goal: to equip New Orleans’ middle and high school educators with the knowledge and skills to help every adolescent become a fluent, confident reader. The two-year program blends Science of Reading (SoR) learning with hands-on implementation support, giving school and network leaders what they’ve long needed: real training on how to teach older students to read, intervene effectively, and build strong school-wide literacy systems.

The Literacy Leader Cohort (LLC) launched in July 2024 with one clear goal: to equip New Orleans’ middle and high school educators with the knowledge and skills to help every adolescent become a fluent, confident reader. The two-year program blends Science of Reading (SoR) learning with hands-on implementation support, giving school and network leaders what they’ve long needed: real training on how to teach older students to read, intervene effectively, and build strong school-wide literacy systems.

While early-grade classrooms have made major strides in aligning instruction to the SoR, the reality is that many older students still struggle with foundational skills. And unlike their K-3 counterparts, most middle and high school teachers were never trained in how to diagnose or address these gaps. They’re suddenly responsible for adolescents who can’t yet decode fluently, but they haven’t been given the tools, coursework, or strategies to help them. That’s the space the Literacy Leader Cohort is intentionally filling, equipping secondary educators with knowledge and confidence.

Across two cohorts, 41 literacy leaders representing 26 schools and 18 charter organizations have joined this initiative.

Cohort 1: Year Two Coaching, Deep Implementation & School Showcases

Cohort 1 is now in its second year, where each participant receives individualized coaching from TNTP and support in implementing the literacy action plans they designed during Year 1 under the guidance of Dr. Mitchell Bookins. Their latest convenings featured school-based showcases, where leaders opened their classrooms and systems to peers, shared real progress, and received targeted feedback.

At Dorothy Height Charter School, Dr. Anna Robertson demonstrated how strategic staffing, intentional student grouping, and consistent coaching can turn intervention into a true engine for student growth — grounded in culture, clarity, and strong instructional leadership.

At Success at Thurgood Marshall, 8th-grade ELA teacher Ashley Black highlighted vocabulary intervention embedded directly into Tier 1 instruction, modeling how strong routines and student ownership create the conditions for adolescents to take academic risks and build reading stamina.

At Edna Karr High School, literacy specialist Celeste Myers showcased intervention rotations and English I instruction while also sharing a literacy newsletter for staff and families, a resource now spreading across the cohort.

At KIPP New Orleans, Theresa Schmitt shared a compelling data story anchored at KIPP Central City Academy, demonstrating how repeated oral reading, intentional coaching, and sequenced implementation can drive system-wide improvement.

At Homer Plessy Community School, Shannon Davey modeled a structured literacy intervention approach rooted in consistency, reflection, and alignment between intervention and general education, illustrating how expertise and continual refinement sustain literacy growth.

Cohort 2: Deep Science of Reading Learning for Secondary Educators

Cohort 2 is in its foundational year, focused on building deep knowledge of adolescent SoR, something many secondary educators never receive in their preparation programs. Participants are learning how to scaffold reading instruction for students with significant literacy gaps, how to diagnose skill deficits, and how to build intervention systems that actually close those gaps.

Every other month, leaders meet with Dr. Mitchell Brookins, who helps them apply their knowledge through self-assessments, curriculum analysis, and school-based problem solving. They also engage in site visits across the city to see strong intervention programs in action. Recent visits included:

• George Washington Carver (Collegiate Academies)
• Audubon Gentilly
• ReNEW Laurel 

Next year, Cohort 2 participants will have the opportunity to deepen their expertise through specialized SoR pathways focused on African American English or English Learners, recognizing the linguistic diversity and needs of New Orleans students.

Looking Ahead

Cohort 3 begins this year and will include two pathways:

• 30 educators are completing the one-year Science of Reading learning experience
• 7 leaders were selected for the full two-year leadership pathway with coaching and intensive work alongside Dr. Brookins

This new structure allows more educators across the city to access foundational SoR training while ensuring a smaller group receives the deeper leadership development needed to transform systems. 

The vision remains steady: a city where every adolescent reader — regardless of background, identity, or starting point — gets the instruction and support they need to thrive. And thanks to the dedication of our cohort members, that vision feels closer.