IMSE
26
Change the Story:
Leadership Literacy Summit 2026
2026 is the year to ensure every student in your district becomes a confident reader.
April 22–23, 2026
11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. PT | 2:00–5:00 p.m. ET
$20 per ticket | Virtual Event
For: District and Building-level Literacy Leadership
A Pivotal Event for Leaders
Ready to Act
Educators are carrying the weight of literacy outcomes on their shoulders. And they know what they need: aligned teams, proven curriculum, and reliable, consistent classroom practices.
The 2026 IMSE Leadership Literacy Summit is designed for for all district and building-level literacy leaders ready to turn that knowledge into action.
Over two focused days, you'll gain clear, practical guidance you can apply immediately, wherever your team is in its literacy journey. When we lead together, we can rewrite the story of literacy for the students we serve.
Why Attend
1. Exclusive Insights for System Change
In just two focused days, you’ll examine what strengthens literacy systems and how leadership decisions shape lasting improvement, including:
- What successful literacy systems do differently
- How leadership decisions directly impact instructional outcomes
- The first moves districts make to drive sustainable literacy improvement
2. Evidence-Based Guidance That Feels Doable
Grounded in the science of reading and Structured Literacy, sessions break down complex research into practical, district-ready strategies.
3. Clarifying the Path Forward
You’ll explore what effective implementation looks like in practice and consider how leadership decisions translate into system-level change.
4. Support from Experts Who Understand
This work is demanding, and the pressure on literacy leaders is real. This summit is designed with that reality in mind, focused on the real decisions and obstacles leaders face and offering practical insight grounded in experience.
Day 1
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2:00 pm ET | Opening Remarks
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Speaker: Jeanne Jeup
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2:15 pm ET | Opening Keynote
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3:30 pm ET | Session
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4:45 pm ET | Closing Remarks
Day 2
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2:00 pm ET | Opening Remarks
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Speaker: Laura Fischer
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2:15 pm ET | Session
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3:30 pm ET | Panel Discussion
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4:45 pm ET | Closing Remarks
What You’ll Learn
Summit Learning Objectives
By the end of the summit, leaders will be able to:
Featured Speakers
Kareem Weaver
Co-Founder & Executive Director, FULCRUM
Keynote: The Specific Demands of Literacy Leadership
Attendees will examine what it takes to make “Science of Reading” real for every teacher and student, distinguishing activity from impact. We will examine the key structures ensuring evidence-based instruction, a coherent curriculum and materials, meaningful professional learning, reliable assessment, and the daily instructional supports that lead to literacy success.
Leaders must align around what's proven to optimize outcomes, remove what doesn’t, and ensure the clarity and focus needed to sustain efforts beyond the initial organizational thrust.
Kari Kurto
National Director of Policy and Partnerships, The Reading League
Session: The Reading League's Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines: Evidence-Aligned, Comprehensive Tier I Instruction
Curriculum decision makers frequently ask, "Does my curriculum align with the science of reading?" While many publishers assert that their products are evidence-aligned, how can we verify this claim? The Reading League has been developing resources to assist schools and districts in addressing these inquiries. This session will outline the Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (CEGs), commencing with a description of the extensive research foundation and proceeding to identify both aligned and "red-flag" practices drawn directly from the research. Participants will also learn how to utilize The Reading League's Curriculum Navigation Reports to assess the extent to which their instructional materials address each component of the CEGs, ensuring that students receive evidence-aligned instruction across all aspects of language and literacy.
Dawn Brookhart
Co-Founder and CEO, Ed Cap Consulting LLC
Session: Literacy Leadership in Action: Empowering Educators, Elevating Students
This session will guide educators in leading literacy transformation through a collective leadership model that is both actionable and inclusive, empowering all educators to contribute meaningfully to the work. Drawing on Instructional Leadership in Student-Focused Coaching: Creating Effective Systems to Cultivate Student Success, participants will explore how to activate leadership in every direction:
- Top-down: Building shared vision, coherent structures, and aligned resources
- Bottom-up: Elevating teacher voice and classroom-based innovation
- Lateral: Strengthening peer collaboration and shared expertise
- Inside-out: Ensuring student data and experiences guide every decision
Through this omnidirectional approach, participants will learn practical strategies to empower teams, turn data into instructional action, cultivate coaching-ready conditions, and operationalize clear Theories of Action. The session equips educators to drive lasting, student-focused change across classrooms, schools, and districts.
Who Should Attend
Superintendents
Assistant Superintendents
Chief Academic Officers
District Curriculum & Instruction Leaders
District Literacy Leaders
Building-Level Leaders
Why IMSE
IMSE brings decades of experience supporting districts and schools as they implement Structured Literacy for better student outcomes. This summit reflects what we’ve learned alongside leaders nationwide: system change is possible, and it starts with informed, aligned leadership. It starts with you.
Register for the 2026 IMSE Leadership Literacy Summit
For just $20, gain access to:
