INNOVATIVE TEACHING. ENGAGED STUDENTS.
TRANSFORMING LITERACY.
Literacy Partners is proud to be the gold standard in responsive, tailored professional development that meets the needs of each teacher, school, and district.
Literacy Partners Core Values
Supporting educators in equitable literacy reform that increases test scores while bringing more rigor and joy to classrooms, schools, and districts.
Supporting educators in equitable literacy reform that increases test scores while bringing more rigor and joy to classrooms, schools, and districts.
Nearly 90% of students who dropout of high school are struggling readers in third grade.”
According to American First Policy Institute
Nearly 90% of students who dropout of high school are struggling readers in third grade.”
According to American First Policy Institute
Imagine…
- A community of engaged learners
- Teachers using innovative teaching methods that work
- Classrooms filled with students who read and write at or above grade level
Your leadership + your teachers and staff + Literacy Partners provides your students an opportunity that every child in America should have.
MEET OUR FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Hello! I’m Dahlia Dallal! Literacy Partners is proud to be the gold standard in responsive, tailored professional development that is aligned to the Science of Reading.
We’ve worked side-by-side with school districts, individual schools, teachers and families for over a decade to help them incorporate a specialized approach to teaching.
My enthusiasm for education runs deep.
I knew deep down that I was meant to bring this approach and philosophy of teaching to many classrooms.
Since I was a little girl, when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d say, “A teacher!” In high school, instead of hanging out at the beach with my friends, I spent a semester of my senior year working in a nursery school, where I discovered my calling — teaching.
From here, I went off to study elementary education at the University of Maryland. After collecting my diploma, I moved back home and began substitute teaching while I worked on my Master’s Degree at Teachers College, Columbia University.
While at Teachers College, I refined my craft as a teacher and immersed myself in best practices in literacy instruction. I was excited to learn everything there was to know about teaching.
After graduating from Teachers College, I began my teaching career at Merrick Unified School District because they offered their teachers many professional learning opportunities. It was inspiring to work with my colleagues and continue to hone my craft.
During my seventh year teaching in Merrick, I was offered a position as a staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project working with highly respected literacy experts such as Jennifer Serravallo, Carl Anderson, Cornelius Minor, Colleen Cruz, Kate and Maggie Beattie Roberts and Lester Laminack.
The intersection of passion and urgency is where Literacy Partners was born.
The expertise I gained over the last two decades working in hundreds of schools illuminated opportunities to replace outdated learning methods that no longer work for today’s educators and students.
This illumination, ambition, and drive to touch the lives of as many as possible led me to start Literacy Partners in 2011.
Hello! I’m Dahlia Dallal! Literacy Partners is proud to be the gold standard in responsive, tailored professional development that is aligned to the Science of Reading.
We’ve worked side-by-side with school districts, individual schools, teachers and families for over a decade to help them incorporate a specialized approach to teaching.
My enthusiasm for education runs deep.
I knew deep down that I was meant to bring this approach and philosophy of teaching to many classrooms.
Since I was a little girl, when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d say, “A teacher!” In high school, instead of hanging out at the beach with my friends, I spent a semester of my senior year working in a nursery school, where I discovered my calling — teaching.
From here, I went off to study elementary education at the University of Maryland. After collecting my diploma, I moved back home and began substitute teaching while I worked on my Master’s Degree at Teachers College, Columbia University.
While at Teachers College, I refined my craft as a teacher and immersed myself in best practices in literacy instruction. I was excited to learn everything there was to know about teaching.
After graduating from Teachers College, I began my teaching career at Merrick Unified School District because they offered their teachers many professional learning opportunities. It was inspiring to work with my colleagues and continue to hone my craft.
During my seventh year teaching in Merrick, I was offered a position as a staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project working with highly respected literacy experts such as Jennifer Serravallo, Carl Anderson, Cornelius Minor, Colleen Cruz, Kate and Maggie Beattie Roberts and Lester Laminack.
The intersection of passion and urgency is where Literacy Partners was born.
The expertise I gained over the last two decades working in hundreds of schools illuminated opportunities to replace outdated learning methods that no longer work for today’s educators and students.
This illumination, ambition, and drive to touch the lives of as many as possible led me to start Literacy Partners in 2011.
Why educators love working with our founding director…
In 2011, Literacy Partners was a one-woman show based in Los Angeles, California. Quickly word of mouth spread about the transformation districts, schools, teachers, and kids were seeing as a result of The Literacy Partners Difference.
By 2013, we became the “gold standard” in professional development. Literacy Partners was so in demand that I had to hire and train an entire team of staff developers.
From its inception, Literacy Partners has been instrumental in strengthening literacy that touches every child and every teacher and breathes new life into the entire school and district.
MEET OUR TEAM OF STAFF DEVELOPERS
Lily Diamond
Originally from Sacramento, California, Lily’s passion for reading and writing grew at a young age. She spent much of her childhood writing in journals and growing her Babysitters Club book series collection.
After obtaining her degree in Art History from UC Berkeley in 2010, she became an educator. She went on to earn a Masters of Education at Stanford University, where she deepened her understanding of the intersection between literacy and social justice.
Literacy instruction continued to be a bright spark and she was led to teach sixth grade in East Palo Alto. Later, she relocated to New York, where she taught elementary school, before finally heading back to the West Coast and settling in Los Angeles.
Through her work with elementary students and as an instructional coach in charter and independent schools, Lily has witnessed the transformative power of literacy for young learners. She’s committed to cultivating her students’ empathy, growth mindset, and independence through literacy practices.
When she’s not working with schools, you’ll probably find her lost in a book, enjoying the outdoors, trying new restaurants, or snuggling with Daisy, her Himalayan kitten.
Megan Jalil
After earning a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at Loyola Marymount University, Megan began teaching in West LA and helped lead the transformation of reading and writing instruction at her school site. After years of teaching, she transitioned into the role of instructional coach, supporting and developing teachers in TK through fifth grade. Megan is passionate about helping teachers feel knowledgeable and prepared as they help build young learners into lifelong readers and writers.
Working in public, charter, and private schools, Megan has seen firsthand the power of effective, student-centered literacy instruction. When she’s not in a classroom with students and teachers, you can find Megan spending time with friends and family, in a yoga class, or laying on a blanket at the park reading.
Mercedes Jimenez
Mercedes is a first-generation college graduate born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Chicano minor from the University of Los Angeles.
Later, she pursued her Master’s degree in Bilingual Elementary Education along with her teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. She excitedly began her career as a Kindergarten Apprentice Teacher at KIPP Iluminar Academy in East Los Angeles.
Mercedes began her journey in education by founding third-grade Science and Social Studies and working as a third-grade lead teacher for four years. She then went on to teach fourth grade for a few years as a grade-level lead.
In her free time, Mercedes enjoys spending time with family, dinner dates, and hiking. In her tenth year in education, Mercedes continues to inspire teachers and students through building relationships, fostering a culture of trust and risk-taking, and developing more inclusive spaces for teachers and students.
Melinda Warren
Originally from Austin, Texas, Melinda hails from a long line of educators. She received her degree in Political Communication and Education Policy from Emerson College and began her career teaching kindergarten in Dallas.
She then moved to California to help found second grade as a lead teacher at KIPP Iluminar Academy in East Los Angeles. There, she taught grades TK through second before becoming Dean of Students. In her role as Dean, Melinda was honored to develop and coach educators within TK to fourth grade and Special Education, as well as several instructional coaches.
As a staff developer with Literacy Partners, Melinda continues her deep fondness for creating transformative learning experiences for teachers and students.
She’s proud to work for an organization that stands for innovative and equitable teaching practices that foster student independence.
In her spare time, Melinda loves to travel, discover new local eateries, and spend time with her partner Chris and pup, Peanut.
A final message from our founder:
“It’s not enough for us to just help one classroom of kids. We want to help as many teachers, principals, districts, families, and students as possible. I want to create a world with classrooms full of cozy nooks, bean bag chairs, gathering areas, and colorful bulletin boards filled with student work that’s unique from piece to piece.
A learning environment where all kids feel capable, valued, seen, and have the tools to excel.”
Learn how Literacy Partners supports the needs of every administrator, teacher and child in your school.
ADMINISTRATORS
Customized professional development that increases test scores and teacher retention while fostering a true love of reading and writing for your students.
TEACHERS
Modern solutions for busy teachers who want to stay at the top of their game and nurture their passion for teaching.
AT HOME & IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Learn how you can be an advocate to strengthen literacy in your child’s school.
What they’re saying…
There’s one word to describe the impact Literacy Partners has had on the writing instruction at our school
— transformational!”
Jumie Sugahara, Principal, Glassell Park Elementary School
The sessions Literacy Partners has led have encouraged our staff to challenge their thinking about writing instruction and to evaluate how they can better meet the needs of our students. Our work with Dahlia and her staff has moved us towards transforming the writing instruction at our school and we look forward to continuing to build our knowledge with them for years to come.”
Lisa Saldivar, Former Principal, 7th Street Elementary School, LAUSD
Literacy Partners has tremendously increased the enthusiasm of over 400 teachers (K-5) while genuinely improving the opportunity of over 8,000 students to participate in quality daily writing and receive exposure to a 21st-century CCSS education.”
Chris Downing, Instructional Director of 15 schools in South Los Angeles
I’ve been a teacher for 35 years, and working with Literacy Partners enables me to increase the sense of magic and wonder in my literacy program every day.”Jane Raphael, Former Teacher, Wonderland Avenue Elementary School, LAUSD
Students who were LTEL’s were reclassified. Students who had struggled to speak English their entire lives are now speaking and writing, completely, fluently, and beautifully. We are thrilled with the results.”