Literacy Launch Institutes
Register Now for the Inaugural 4-Day Literacy Launch Institutes this summer and be ready for liftoff when the new school year begins!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Literacy Launch Institutes are designed to spread powerful, evidence-based early literacy instruction that celebrates Massachusetts students’ cultural and linguistic strengths. When students read and write by grade 3, they’re on the path to future academic success.
Literacy Launch Institutes provide 4 days of differentiated professional learning for educators teaching students from preschool to grade 3. With 5 available tracks, there’s a pathway for every educator on your team to build their confidence and expand their expertise!
Learning Tracks
Novice
Foxboro - Waitlist Registration Only
Devens - Seats available
This track is for educators who are new to evidence-based early literacy and ready to build a strong foundation and grow their confidence in proven practices.
Topics
For classroom teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers, MLL teachers, paraprofessionals, and literacy coaches.
Topics are tentative and subject to change.
Day 1:
1. The Brain and Reading
2. Language Acquisition, Oral Language & Multilingual Learners
Day 2:
3. Phonemic Awareness and Word Reading
4. The Role of Automaticity and Fluency in Early Reading Development
Day 3:
5. Growing Vocabularies
6. Building Comprehension
Day 4:
7. Linking Data to Instruction
8. Lesson Internalization for Implementation
Advanced
Foxboro & Devens - Waitlist Registration Only
This track is for educators and support staff who have strong knowledge of evidence-based early literacy and want to deepen their understanding. This will be a good fit for those who have attended introductory courses in the past.
Topics
For classroom teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers, MLL teachers, paraprofessionals, literacy coaches.
Topics are tentative and subject to change.
Day 1:
1. Meeting the Needs of All Learners
2. Reading Instruction and Multilingual Learners
Day 2:
3. Digging into Word Reading
4. Digging into Spelling and Morphology
Day 3:
5. Digging into Reading Comprehension
6. The Reading Writing Connection
Day 4:
7. The Brain and Reading Assessments
8. Lesson Internalization for Implementation
Preschool
This track is for preschool teachers, teaching assistants, and early childhood educators who want to integrate evidence-based language and literacy practices into play-based, developmentally appropriate learning environments.
Topics
For preschool teachers and teaching assistants, literacy coaches, MLL teachers.
Topics are tentative and subject to change.
Day 1:
1. The Brain and Reading
2. Emergent Literacy and the Connection to Joyful Learning
Day 2:
3. Print Concepts
4. Phonological Awareness
Day 3:
5. Vocabulary Development
6. Oral Language Development
Day 4:
7. Assessment to Inform Instruction
8. Implementation Planning
School & District Leaders
Foxboro & Devens - Waitlist Registration Only
This track is for school and district leaders, coaches, and literacy teams who are ready to lead system-wide improvements in early literacy through a strong understanding of evidence-based early literacy practices, effective implementation of practices, and data-driven decision making.
Topics
For district and school level administrators, and literacy coaches.
Topics are tentative and subject to change.
Day 1:
1. The Brain, Reading and Meeting the Needs of All Learners
2. Language and Literacy Development
Day 2:
3. Phonemic Awareness and Word Reading
4. The Role of Automaticity and Fluency in Early Reading Development
Day 3:
5. Building Comprehension
6. The Reading Writing Connection
Day 4:
7. Professional Learning: Data Driven Coaching in Early Literacy
8. Early Literacy Vision, Installation, and Implementation
Educator Prep Program Faculty & Staff
This track is for educator preparation program faculty and supporting staff preparing future educators to deliver evidence-based, culturally and linguistically sustaining early literacy instruction from day one.
Topics
For educator preparation program faculty, staff, and personnel.
Topics are tentative and subject to change.
Day 1:
1. Unpacking the Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria
2. Core Principles of Intentional and Equitable Literacy Instruction
Day 2:
3. Language and Literacy Development
4. Foundational Skills in Early Literacy Programs
Day 3:
5. Language Comprehension in Early Literacy Programs
6. The Reading Writing Connection
Day 4:
7. Observing Pre Service Candidate Instruction
8. Providing Pre Service Candidate Feedback
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Novice
This track is for educators who are new to evidence-based early literacy and ready to build a strong foundation and grow their confidence in proven practices.
Intended for classroom teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, literacy coaches, MLL teachers.
Advanced
FOXBORO – WAITLIST REGISTRATION ONLY
DEVENS – SEATS AVAILABLE
This track is for educators and support staff who have strong knowledge of evidence-based early literacy and want to deepen their understanding. This will be a good fit for those who have attended introductory courses in the past.
Intended for classroom teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, literacy coaches, MLL teachers.
Preschool
This track is for preschool teachers, teaching assistants, and early childhood educators who want to integrate evidence-based language and literacy practices into play-based, developmentally appropriate learning environments.
Intended for preschool teachers and teaching assistants, literacy coaches, MLL teachers.
School & District Leaders
This track is for school and district leaders, coaches, and literacy teams who are ready to lead system-wide improvements in early literacy through a strong understanding of evidence-based early literacy practices, effective implementation of practices, and data-driven decision making.
Intended for district and school level administrators, and literacy coaches.
Ed Prep Program Faculty & Staff
This track is for educator preparation program faculty and supporting staff preparing future educators to deliver evidence-based, culturally and linguistically sustaining early literacy instruction from day one.
Intended for educator preparation program faculty, staff, and personnel.
Dates & Locations
Foxboro Institute: August 11-14, 2025
8:00am – 3:00pm each day
Envision Hotels Mansfield-Foxboro
31 Hampshire Street
Mansfield, MA 02048
Devens Institute: August 18-21, 2025
8:00am – 3:00pm each day
Devens Common Center
31 Andrews Pkwy
Devens, MA 01434
Register Now
Earn PDPs | $500 Stipend | Graduate Credit
Eligibility:
Literacy Launch Institutes are open to individuals and school/district-based teams who are:
- currently employed Massachusetts public school educators whose work relates to literacy, including general education teachers, special education teachers, ESL or language support teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, literacy coaches, and other school or district administrators whose work relates to literacy in preschool to grade 3. Educators from community-based preschool programs are invited to attend with an LEA sponsor (e.g., district public school that they partner with through CPPI, as a CFCE, GLEAM, PRISM I, etc.). Paraeducators are also invited to attend as part of a district or school team.
- Massachusetts educator preparation program faculty, staff, and personnel whose work relates to literacy in preschool to grade 3.
Stipends:
Certain educators who participate in the Summer 2025 Literacy Launch Institutes are eligible to receive a $500 stipend. Please read the details below carefully to determine your eligibility.
Stipend Details
ELIGIBILITY FOR STIPENDS: To receive a stipend for participating in the Summer 2025 Literacy Launch Institutes, educators must:
- Be eligible to participate in Literacy Launch Institutes. Please see FAQs for details.
- Attend a minimum of 3 days of one Summer 2025 Literacy Launch Institute.
- Complete all assignments, surveys, and assessments during and directly after (e.g., participation, satisfaction surveys) the 2025 Summer Literacy Launch Institute.
- Attend the Institutes outside of regular work time (i.e., educators being paid by their employer to work on the days of the institute are not eligible for the stipend).
- Complete all required stipend payment paperwork (such as a W9 Form) within stated time frames, which must be submitted by email or mail before the Institutes.
Please Note: Employees of Commonwealth Charter Schools and of Massachusetts public institutions of higher education are categorized as state employees and will need to complete an ethics disclosure in order to receive a stipend.
Completion Requirements:
Completion is defined as attendance at a minimum of 3 days of the institute, and completion of all activities and surveys. In addition, all participants must complete DESE’s Post-Assessment at the end of the course. Educators must successfully complete the course in order to earn PDPs, a stipend, or graduate credit. No stipends will be paid for incomplete courses.
Graduate Credit:
Participants may choose to purchase 2 graduate credits, offered by Westfield State, upon successful completion of the Institutes. The cost to purchase 2 graduate credits is $350, to be paid by the participant. Those who would like to purchase graduate credits for their participation in the Literacy Launch Institutes can put their $500 stipend toward that cost. Please note that there will be additional assignments to complete in order to earn graduate credits from Westfield.
How To Register:
Complete the form below in its entirety as an individual or as a team lead for the members of your team. If your team consists of more than 10 people, please be aware you will need to fill the form out multiple times to capture all attendee information as only 10 people can be registered at a time. Each team member will be asked to confirm their information and submit additional details once accepted into the Institutes.
PLEASE NOTE: Submission of this form does NOT guarantee a spot in the Institutes. Space is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. When a track reaches capacity, all new registrations will automatically be placed on a waitlist. Once your submitted form has been processed by our team, you will receive a notification regarding your registration status.
Coaching Opportunity
Attend as a Team—Unlock an Additional Opportunity!
School or district teams that attend the 4-day Summer Literacy Launch Institute together will be eligible to apply for free coaching at your school site from HILL for Literacy. This exclusive coaching opportunity—offered only to teams—will take place during the 2025–2026 school year and support implementation of evidence-based early literacy practices learned at the Institute.
Form your team and register together to take full advantage of this added support. More details and application for coaching coming soon. Visit the FAQ section for information on team registration.
FAQs
Frequent Asked Questions are continuously updated. Please contact us if you have a question you do not see answered below.
Stipends, PDPs & Grad Credits
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Can I receive PDPs and a stipend?
Yes, PDPs will be provided to all participants based on their participation separately from stipends.
When and how will I be paid the stipend?
Educators will receive a stipend upon completing the full Literacy Launch Institute course. It may take up to 120 days to receive stipends after course completion. Registrants must submit a completed W9 form to admin@hillforliteracy.org immediately upon notification of enrollment in order to ensure they will be paid in a timely fashion. No stipends will be paid for incomplete institutes.
Please use the Contact Us form below to contact HILL for Literacy with questions related to stipends. As the provider of Literacy Launch Institutes, HILL for Literacy is responsible for any and all payroll and/or tax documentation that may be required related to stipend payment. DESE is not responsible for the issuance of stipends or the accounting or tax implications thereof. DESE will not be intervening in or settling any disputes regarding stipends.
Registration & Enrollment
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Can I register as an individual for the Literacy Launch Institutes?
Yes! Individual educators are welcome to register on their own and bring their new knowledge back to their schools and classrooms.
Can I bring a team to Literacy Launch Institutes?
Yes! In fact, we strongly recommend it. PK-3 school and district teams will also be eligible to apply for coaching after the institutes.
Does my entire team need to enroll in the same track?
No! One of the unique qualities of Literacy Launch Institutes is the differentiated learning tracks. If you are registering with a team of educators, please select the individual track that best matches each team member’s need.
How do I register more than 10 people for my team?
District and school teams who wish to register more than 10 team members will need to complete multiple registration forms as only 10 people can be registered at a time.
When will my registration be confirmed?
You will receive a follow-up email once we have processed your submission informing you of your registration status. This may take up to a week given the large amount of registrations we are receiving. Thank you for your patience and your interest in the Literacy Launch Institutes!
Are private schools eligible?
Unfortunately, no. However, HILL For Literacy would be happy to discuss how we can meet your district needs through direct consultation. Contact us using the form below today!
Are charter schools eligible?
Yes, individual educators and teams from public charter schools are eligible to register for Literacy Launch Institutes.
Are community-based preschool educators eligible?
Yes. Educators from community-based preschool programs are invited to attend with an LEA sponsor (e.g., district public school that they partner with through CPPI, as a CFCE, GLEAM, PRISM I, etc.).
Are paraeducators eligible?
Yes. Paraeducators are invited to register as part of a district or school team.
What does it mean if I am on the waitlist?
Once a learning track reaches capacity, any new registrations will automatically be placed on the waitlist. We will also post a notification on this website. If an accepted registrant is no longer able to attend, we will take the next eligible person in line off the waitlist to enroll in the Institutes and notify them of next steps.
What is the MEPID and where can I find mine?
The MEPID is a unique identifier assigned to all educators and to school district staff in Massachusetts. Educators can find their MEPID in the Personal Information section on the Inquiry Activity—Summary page in your ELAR account. To get to this page, login to ELAR and click on the Check license status and history, make a payment link on the Welcome to ELAR screen. The MEPID number should be located right above your name.
Follow-up Coaching Opportunity
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Who is eligible for the post-institute coaching opportunity?
After the institutes, Preschool to grade 3 school and district teams are eligible to apply for free site-based coaching after the institutes. More information will be available this summer!
When can our school apply for coaching?
We will begin taking applications for the free onsite coaching in the summer after the institutes have been completed.
Miscellaneous
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Can I attend only one day of the institutes?
No, enrollment is for the entire 4-day institute. The modules are part of a series that build upon each other, so taking all of them is important.
I can’t attend this summer. Will there be more opportunities?
Yes! We will also run institutes on Saturdays during the school year. If you’d like to be notified once we open registration, please sign up for our email list.
What if I can’t make it to Devens or Foxboro?
We intend to run additional institutes during the school year and next summer at locations around the state of Massachusetts. If you’d like to be notified once we open registration for the next round of institutes, please sign up for our email list.
Contact Us
About
Literacy Launch Institutes are presented by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and HILL for Literacy, in collaboration with:
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LITERACY LAUNCH INSTITUTES
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