Blog

Our relationship with Collaborative Classroom goes back a long time — we have been following and learning from ©SEEDS of Learning, a set of relationship-based early literacy and language frameworks, for more than a decade. Now, we are honored to formally welcome Collaborative Classroom to the OLC Member Network.

Collaborative Classroom provides professional learning for all Oakland Pre-K and TK educators through the SEEDS of Learning framework. They coach and train the K–2 literacy tutors who use their foundational skills program, SIPPS, and they support older striving readers in Oakland through the use of the SIPPS curriculum as a targeted literacy intervention in middle school. 

We interviewed Emily Grunt, Director of ECE & Field Support, about the organization’s role in building strong readers and how the success of individual early literacy tutors has inspired districtwide practices:

Oakland Literacy Coalition (OLC): How does your organization support literacy in Oakland?

Collaborative Classroom: Collaborative Classroom supports Oakland through our curricula and working directly with educators and other adults who nurture children’s language, literacy, and social-emotional growth from birth through grade 8. We provide professional learning for all Oakland Pre-K and TK educators through our SEEDS of Learning framework. We also coach and train the K–2 literacy tutors who use our accelerative foundational skills program, SIPPS. In addition, our work is supporting older striving readers in Oakland through the use of the SIPPS curriculum as a targeted literacy intervention in middle school. 

OLC: What sets you apart from other organizations in your community or with similar missions?

Collaborative Classroom: Unlike many curriculum providers in the education world, we are independent, nonprofit, and mission-driven. We are guided by our mission and what the research tells us is best for children, educators, and the school communities we serve. Our staff is predominantly made up of former educators with decades of literacy expertise, many of whom have deep research backgrounds

Another difference lies in how we combine high-quality, research-based, and educative curricula with a commitment to ongoing, program-specific professional learning. Ensuring successful implementation is our primary goal. We consistently see that districts with strong implementations achieve results. We partner closely with schools, districts, and community organizations, using our work to help them build their internal capacity for long-term success. 

Finally, with the recent merger of the evidence-proven, early-childhood nonprofit FluentSeeds into Collaborative Classroom, our organization is uniquely positioned to provide seamless, aligned, comprehensive literacy support from early childhood through grade 5 and for striving readers in grades 6–12.

OLC:What’s on the horizon? What community programming or events are coming up that your organization is most excited about and why?

Collaborative Classroom: Our events and professional learning calendar are always full, and right now we have some wonderful (and free!) professional learning webinars that we would love for the OLC community to join! If you register, we’ll automatically send you the recording. Check out all upcoming events and webinars here: https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/events/

Here are a couple of highlights: 

• Empowering Older Readers: Science of Reading Strategies for Skills and Confidence
  Wednesday, October 29, 2025
  
• Science of Reading Strategies for Joyful Pre-K Early Literacy Environments
  Thursday, November 6, 2025

OLC: Is there anything you wish more people knew about your organization or the issues you are trying to solve?

Collaborative Classroom: In terms of issues, it’s always helpful to remind people about the broader impacts of literacy and why this work matters so much—developing children as proficient readers and writers also ensures a strong foundation for lifelong learning and equity. Literacy gaps can affect social-emotional development, long-term academic outcomes, and future opportunities for our children. 

Here are several exciting pieces of news we’d love to share.

•  We are honored that our comprehensive K–5 ELA curriculum, Collaborative Literacy, was recently reviewed by The Reading League. You can find that review on the TRL Compass website for Curriculum Decision Makers: https://www.thereadingleague.org/compass/curriculum-decision-makers/#toc_The_Reading_Leagues_Curriculum_Navigation_Reports 
• Collaborative Literacy is undergoing enhancements, including the introduction of designated ELD aligned closely with California’s ELA/ELD framework.  We’ll be submitting for the 2026 ELA/ELD follow-up adoption for California.
• In June 2026, our first-ever, year-before-kindergarten curriculum, Pinecone Path, will be available. This comprehensive early literacy curriculum aligns with the proven practices of our SEEDS of Learning framework and aligns with our K–5 Collaborative Literacy curriculum.

OLC: What are you most looking forward to as a member of the Oakland Literacy Coalition?

Collaborative Classroom: We look forward to connecting with fellow educators, nonprofits, and community members to share best practices, coordinate efforts, and amplify our impact in Oakland. Collaboration is key to addressing the literacy crisis, and we are eager to learn from and contribute to a community that is equally committed to justice, equity, and literacy for all students.

OLC: Could you share an anecdote/experience about working with a student or teacher that really stood out for you?

Collaborative Classroom: Irene Segura, Collaborative Classroom’s [Literacy Coach] shares the following story about Ms. Patty Lee, a wonderful Early Literacy Tutor here in OUSD: 

At Emerson Elementary, Early Literacy Tutor Ms. Patty Lee, Tier 2 SIPPS educator, has taken student progress tracking to a new level. She designed detailed spreadsheets to monitor her students’ growth closely. Tools so effective that they caught the attention of the OUSD Data Management Team.

Through collaboration with the district data team, new student growth reports were developed and launched for use across all of OUSD, empowering educators to better understand and celebrate their students’ progress in their SIPPS instruction.

During the 2025–26 school year, Early Literacy Tutors are each crafting their own My Impact Story. Ms. Patty’s story shines brightly: thanks to her data-driven approach and dedication, 44 of her students achieved over 100% growth at the end of last year. 

Her commitment to students and her impact continue to inspire districtwide progress.

OLC: The literacy crisis is real and impacts us all at the local, state, and national level. With that said, what does Literacy & Justice for All mean to you?

Collaborative Classroom: Literacy & Justice for All means ensuring every child has access to high-quality, research-based literacy instruction and the opportunity to succeed academically and socially. It’s about equity, empowerment, and the recognition that literacy is foundational. Here in California, the phrase also makes us think of our amazing partners at the California’s Office of Youth and Community Restoration who have been using SIPPS to help students in the juvenile justice system master reading foundational skills. We are so inspired by their commitment to address the systemic educational failures within the state’s juvenile justice system and honored to partner with them: https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/blog/oycr-juvenile-justice-california/

Website: https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/