The P20 Literacy Collaborative was established by the Ohio Deans Compact, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, to bring together higher education, school districts, and state partners committed to improving literacy outcomes for Ohio’s learners.
History
The Collaborative’s roots trace back to 2018–2019, when the Ohio Deans Compact formed the Higher Education Literacy Steering Committee to explore ways to strengthen reading coursework across Ohio’s institutions of higher education. One early initiative awarded Improving Literacy Partnership Grants to seven universities, each working with district partners to embed the science of reading into coursework and prepare teacher candidates to apply evidence-based literacy practices in classrooms.
In 2019–2020, these university–district teams and Steering Committee members began meeting in a community of practice format, laying the foundation for the P20 Literacy Collaborative. Their work focused on building sustainable university–district partnerships, expanding access to high-quality literacy instruction—particularly for struggling readers—and fostering collective inquiry into shared challenges.
Purpose
The P20 Literacy Collaborative serves as a peer-to-peer learning community that:
Builds authentic, sustainable partnerships between universities and school districts
Strengthens core reading coursework across Ohio’s institutions of higher education
Expands access to evidence-based literacy instruction for all students, especially those who struggle with reading
Fosters collective inquiry and problem-solving to improve literacy outcomes statewide
Approach
Through shared learning and collaboration, the Collaborative: