Bring the Science of Reading to life.
Our in-house network of science of reading experts offers strategy support and custom, systemic professional learning design to states, districts, and charter management organizations seeking to help educators build knowledge and practice in the science of reading.
Start the JourneyBuild literacy capacity, systemwide.
Every student deserves the chance to become a confident reader. Yet, even as the science of reading reshapes literacy policy nationwide, many systems still struggle to turn research into daily practice.
For teachers and leaders alike, the challenge isn’t commitment — it’s coherence. Translating evidence into lasting habits requires strong use of instructional materials, research-based instructional routines, and steady leadership at every level.
That’s where the Science of Reading Network comes in. Leading Educators partners with states, districts, and schools to bridge the gap between knowing and doing—helping leaders and teachers build the skills, structures, and confidence to make excellent reading instruction predictable for every student
Get effective, scalable support.
The Need
Five decades of research have culminated in the science of reading: a vast, interdisciplinary body of evidence about how proficient reading and writing develop; why some learners have difficulty; and how we can most effectively teach literacy to prepare all students for lifelong learning.
As 37 states and the District of Columbia work to implement new science of reading laws, Leading Educators is helping school systems realize this knowledge in practice with contextualized, systemic supports. Since 2016, our partner schools have improved ELA achievement by 12 to 18 percent, outpacing growth in similar schools.
Our Approach
Through hands-on collaboration, continuous learning, and cycles of feedback, we help partners turn the science of reading into a living, sustainable practice.
Our approach focuses on three interconnected dimensions of system transformation:
- Shared Vision – Build a clear, common understanding of what evidence-based literacy instruction looks and sounds like.
- Strong Practice – Strengthen instructional expertise through learning walks, professional learning communities, and coaching.
- Sustainable Systems – Equip leaders to guide implementation, monitor progress, and sustain growth independently.
Every partnership blends these elements to meet your system where it is and help you move forward with clarity and momentum.
What Makes Our Support Stick
New ways of teaching require continuous and job-embedded practice, which traditional professional development workshops often cannot facilitate. That’s why we work to shift the ways teachers routinely learn, collaborate, and improve.
Hear a brief testimonial from Megan Macfeat, a Baltimore City Public Schools district literacy coach, about the change she sees in K-2 classrooms.
The Leading Educators Difference
Through the Science of Reading Network, you’ll gain:
- A clear, shared vision for excellent literacy instruction rooted in research.
- Stronger instructional leadership and aligned coaching structures.
- Practical routines for observation, reflection, and continuous improvement.
- A sustainable network of educators driving student reading growth together.
With 14+ years of experience and a record of impact validated by ESSA Tier 1–3 studies, Leading Educators is uniquely prepared to help school systems build the clarity, consistency, and capacity every learner deserves
"This year, I was able to watch third graders, who were reading well below grade level gain knowledge, apply new skills, and build confidence with decoding and encoding. As they conquered connected text, their laughter, comments, questions, and overall excitement proved that they had truly become readers.
When I graduated from college with a degree in elementary education, about 30 years ago, my ultimate goal was to teach children to read. I feel like I am finally getting to do that."
When I graduated from college with a degree in elementary education, about 30 years ago, my ultimate goal was to teach children to read. I feel like I am finally getting to do that."
Reading interventionist in Baltimore
Our partners are seeing rapid results.
Reading achievement in Baltimore City Public Schools improved for the first time in a decade from 2022 to 2023—powered by systemic professional learning from Leading Educators. Last year, student foundational literacy proficiency increased at all grade levels, with the most notable improvement of 27 percentage points at the kindergarten level.
Want to see how these supports play out in practice? Read a story about the partnership.
We design for you.
We partner at every level of the system to turn big ideas into consistent practice — connecting vision, leadership, and classroom impact.
Whether you’re leading a state initiative, a district transformation, a rural network, or a national coalition, we meet you where you are to build coherence, strengthen instructional leadership, and translate the science of reading into sustainable daily practice.
Systems/strategic advising
We advise state and local system-level leaders on developing and implementing a vision for literacy that addresses curriculum implementation, assessment systems to drive effective multi-tiered systems of support, and high-quality professional learning that strengthens teacher practice and impact.
Build a strong plan and bring it to life with our help.
Professional learning design
We support you in designing and facilitating high-quality professional learning for district and school administrators, literacy coaches, and teachers in various formats. These can include regional or network convenings, asynchronous modules, train-the-trainer workshops, and school-based learning cycles.
Cultivate strong practice with knowledge-rich, practical professional learning.
Coaching & capacity building
We support you in strengthening your implementation drivers through
literacy leadership training, observation and feedback, data stepbacks, and capacity building around creating and sustaining high-quality professional learning on your own.
We can help you build on the strengths of your team.
Start the journey to life-changing results.
Let us know how we can help.
“My calling is so that children can one day stand on their own without scaffolds, that children will one day reap the benefits that literacy is liberty, that children will one day be able to teach someone else the power that only literacy can bring.”
Dr. Mitchell Brookins, Managing Director
Meet the Team
Dr. Mitchell Brookins
Angela Colasurdo
Olivia Bertucci
Naima Richardson
Dr. Heather Zuerblis
Jennifer Sierra
About Dr. Mitchell Brookins
Dr. Mitchell Brookins is a nationally recognized practitioner and educational consultant with 20+ years in K–12 as teacher, coach, administrator, district leader, and thought leader. As a school administrator, he led instructional efforts that yielded measurable gains—raising DIBELS scores from 43% to 72%, increasing LEAP state assessment results by 16 points, and improving school letter grades from “D” to “C” within one year at both ReNEW Cultural Arts Academy and Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy.
He has presented at Amplify’s Symposium, PaTTAN Literacy Symposium, Keys to Literacy, The Reading League Summit, the Black Men in Education Convening, the Black Literacy Matters Conference, and the Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children Conference. He also leads a citywide literacy fellowship in partnership with New Schools for New Orleans, supporting over 40 literacy leaders across the city.
As Managing Director at Leading Educators, he drives system-level change in Jackson Public Schools, Baltimore City Schools, San Mateo-Foster City School District, and Omaha Public Schools, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Reading League.
He holds a B.A. in Elementary Education, an M.A. in Teacher Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.
He has presented at Amplify’s Symposium, PaTTAN Literacy Symposium, Keys to Literacy, The Reading League Summit, the Black Men in Education Convening, the Black Literacy Matters Conference, and the Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children Conference. He also leads a citywide literacy fellowship in partnership with New Schools for New Orleans, supporting over 40 literacy leaders across the city.
As Managing Director at Leading Educators, he drives system-level change in Jackson Public Schools, Baltimore City Schools, San Mateo-Foster City School District, and Omaha Public Schools, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Reading League.
He holds a B.A. in Elementary Education, an M.A. in Teacher Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.
Dr. Mitchell Brookins in the news
Load more
About Angela Colasurdo
Dr. Angela Colasurdo is a dedicated literacy educator committed to translating the science of reading into actionable classroom practice. As the Director of Content and Coaching (SoR Writing Grades 3-8), she leads the design and facilitation of high-impact professional learning that advances structured literacy instruction in schools and districts across the country. She partners with school systems to co-design professional development, support the internalization of instructional materials, and coach educators to implement evidence-based practices with clarity and precision.
Before joining Leading Educators, Dr. Colasurdo served as a literacy coach and professional development specialist with multiple organizations, where she designed and delivered professional learning that helped educators translate the Science of Reading into practical classroom instruction. She also taught as an adjunct professor, worked as a private tutor, and spent more than twenty years as a classroom teacher.
Dr. Colasurdo holds an Ed.D in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University, an MAED in Education and Literacy from NAU, and a BA in Writing from SUNY Oswego. She is passionate about ensuring that literacy is a right, not a privilege, for all students. In her free time, she enjoys reading beyond research articles, listening to live music, and traveling to be near water.
Before joining Leading Educators, Dr. Colasurdo served as a literacy coach and professional development specialist with multiple organizations, where she designed and delivered professional learning that helped educators translate the Science of Reading into practical classroom instruction. She also taught as an adjunct professor, worked as a private tutor, and spent more than twenty years as a classroom teacher.
Dr. Colasurdo holds an Ed.D in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University, an MAED in Education and Literacy from NAU, and a BA in Writing from SUNY Oswego. She is passionate about ensuring that literacy is a right, not a privilege, for all students. In her free time, she enjoys reading beyond research articles, listening to live music, and traveling to be near water.
"Every teacher deserves to know the Science of Reading, and every child deserves a teacher who knows it." - Dr. Pam Kastner
Load more
About Olivia Bertucci
Olivia Bertucci is a literacy leader and educational consultant with over a decade of experience in K–8 education as a teacher, coach, designer, and system-level leader. She has led the design and facilitation of multi-year professional learning arcs for teachers, literacy coaches, and school leaders, advancing the use of evidence-based reading instruction across large urban districts.
As Senior Director of the Science of Reading Network at Leading Educators, Olivia partners with school systems including Baltimore City Schools, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington, D.C., and San Mateo–Foster City School District. Her work focuses on strengthening structured literacy implementation, coaching systems, and professional learning design. Her work in Baltimore led to a system-wide, educationally meaningful increase in NAEP literacy scores and a 14 percentage point increase in students demonstrating proficiency in DIBELS. She has guided large-scale initiatives such as the Science of Reading Fellowship, supported more than 125 literacy coaches, and developed district-wide coaching programs and observation frameworks to drive consistent instructional improvement.
She holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Xavier University and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Louisiana State University.
As Senior Director of the Science of Reading Network at Leading Educators, Olivia partners with school systems including Baltimore City Schools, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington, D.C., and San Mateo–Foster City School District. Her work focuses on strengthening structured literacy implementation, coaching systems, and professional learning design. Her work in Baltimore led to a system-wide, educationally meaningful increase in NAEP literacy scores and a 14 percentage point increase in students demonstrating proficiency in DIBELS. She has guided large-scale initiatives such as the Science of Reading Fellowship, supported more than 125 literacy coaches, and developed district-wide coaching programs and observation frameworks to drive consistent instructional improvement.
She holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Xavier University and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Louisiana State University.
About Naima Richardson
Naima Richardson is a literacy leader with 23 years in PK–8 education. As Senior Director of the Science of Reading Network, she partners with districts, such as Baltimore City Schools and Jackson Public Schools, to design and implement coherent programming that strengthens teachers' ability to deliver evidence-based literacy instruction. She leverages her strengths in strategic thinking and data analysis to design and facilitate curriculum-aligned professional learning while grounding stakeholders in a common vision for focused and coherent work.
Before joining Leading Educators, Naima served public schools as a teacher, coach, and assistant principal. In Washington, DC, she designed and implemented an Early Literacy Action Plan that supported educational staff in high-impact practices—driving a 23% increase in K–1 benchmark proficiency in one year. At Leading Educators, Naima has supported 17 school-based coaches in reaching 94% proficiency in feedback during facilitation and directed the launch of a district-wide literacy coaching system for 120 K–8 coaches. She also trained district specialists on coaching facilitation, giving Baltimore City Public Schools its first comprehensive insight into how school-based coaches lead PLCs.
Naima holds master’s degrees in educational leadership and elementary & early childhood education, along with a CERI certification in structured literacy classroom teacher, which she applies to build effective systems that turn research into measurable results.
Before joining Leading Educators, Naima served public schools as a teacher, coach, and assistant principal. In Washington, DC, she designed and implemented an Early Literacy Action Plan that supported educational staff in high-impact practices—driving a 23% increase in K–1 benchmark proficiency in one year. At Leading Educators, Naima has supported 17 school-based coaches in reaching 94% proficiency in feedback during facilitation and directed the launch of a district-wide literacy coaching system for 120 K–8 coaches. She also trained district specialists on coaching facilitation, giving Baltimore City Public Schools its first comprehensive insight into how school-based coaches lead PLCs.
Naima holds master’s degrees in educational leadership and elementary & early childhood education, along with a CERI certification in structured literacy classroom teacher, which she applies to build effective systems that turn research into measurable results.
About Dr. Heather Zuerblis
Dr. Heather Zuerblis is an experienced educator and literacy leader with two decades of work as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, and district-level leader. Before joining Leading Educators, she spent eighteen years in the Washington, D.C. area, where she taught, coached, and guided instructional improvement across schools and districts. While at DC Public Schools, she served as an inaugural member of the LEAP team, working alongside Leading Educators partners to launch a professional learning system rooted in high-quality instructional materials. This approach connected educators’ learning directly to lessons and used coaching cycles with observation, feedback, and data collection for a precise, practice-based professional learning experience. At Amplify, Dr. Zuerblis created and scaled professional learning experiences nationwide, rooted in the science of reading, and contributed to the DIBELS team, helping schools across the country effectively use the universal screener to guide instruction and accelerate student learning.
In her current role as Senior Director of Science of Reading at Leading Educators, Dr. Zuerblis directs the organization’s Rural Literacy Leaders Fellowship, its first major initiative focused on supporting rural communities. Previously at Leading Educators, she served as a Director on the Baltimore project, where she partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to drive significant system-level growth. For the first time in over a decade, the district recorded gains in literacy on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—a one-point increase directly tied to the district-wide improvements she helped lead.
Dr. Zuerblis earned her doctorate in Educational Policy and Leadership with a concentration in Early Literacy Intervention from American University. Her dissertation focused on the experiences of BIPOC school principals in Washington, D.C., as they strategically implemented programming aligned to the science of reading. She also holds a Master’s in Reading Education from Boston University and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from James Madison University.
In her current role as Senior Director of Science of Reading at Leading Educators, Dr. Zuerblis directs the organization’s Rural Literacy Leaders Fellowship, its first major initiative focused on supporting rural communities. Previously at Leading Educators, she served as a Director on the Baltimore project, where she partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to drive significant system-level growth. For the first time in over a decade, the district recorded gains in literacy on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—a one-point increase directly tied to the district-wide improvements she helped lead.
Dr. Zuerblis earned her doctorate in Educational Policy and Leadership with a concentration in Early Literacy Intervention from American University. Her dissertation focused on the experiences of BIPOC school principals in Washington, D.C., as they strategically implemented programming aligned to the science of reading. She also holds a Master’s in Reading Education from Boston University and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from James Madison University.
“Students deserve access to evidence-based literacy instruction, provided by a knowledgeable and effective teacher. For far too long, ineffective practices have been the norm. But now that we know better, we can do better."
Dr. Heather Zuerblis in the news
Load more
About Jennifer Sierra
Jen is an educator who is especially passionate about early childhood education and teaching kids how to read and write. As a Director of Content and Coaching, she leads the design and facilitation of learning experiences focused on understanding the science behind how brains learn to read and how to apply this knowledge. She also coaches educators around their planning and practice to ensure that all students receive high quality literacy instruction and become strong readers, and supports school teams to work toward systemic change..
Jen holds a B.S. in Child Development and an M.A. in Teaching and Curriculum, both from Michigan State University. Before joining Leading Educators, she was a classroom teacher for 10 years in Godwin Heights Public Schools and worked as a coach for a non-profit focused on supporting school transformation. She is honored to be able to serve the students and educators in the districts that she both attended and taught in.
Jen lives in Grand Rapids, MI with her teenage twins. She loves traveling, baking, surfing, going to concerts and comedy shows, spending time outside, and cooking.
Jen holds a B.S. in Child Development and an M.A. in Teaching and Curriculum, both from Michigan State University. Before joining Leading Educators, she was a classroom teacher for 10 years in Godwin Heights Public Schools and worked as a coach for a non-profit focused on supporting school transformation. She is honored to be able to serve the students and educators in the districts that she both attended and taught in.
Jen lives in Grand Rapids, MI with her teenage twins. She loves traveling, baking, surfing, going to concerts and comedy shows, spending time outside, and cooking.
Equity requires educators who are invested in the work of unpacking their biases and privileges, so that the intersecting identities of all their students are seen, heard and valued.
Load more
Stories & Resources
Learn more about our past decade of work to systematically grow strong literacy across districts and states through a selection of stories, reports, and free tools.
Stay in the know
Get timely insights direct to your inbox. Sign up for the latest perspectives, resources, and opportunities from Leading Educators.
