California’s County Offices of Education Offer Reading and Writing Resources

Orange County Office of Education (OCDE)

A prime example of this partnership is the Orange County Office of Education (OCDE). OCDE has been a leader in putting social development at the forefront, deepening their commitment to whole-child development. This shared effort between OCDE and Collaborative Classroom began in expanded learning decades ago. Now, OCDE is launching a new writing initiative that supports both academic and social development. This initiative seeks to strengthen instruction, foster transformational practices, and rekindle the joy of teaching writing. This initiative supports educators but also aligns with our shared goal of empowering students and educators for long-term success. 

We now introduce you to Orange County Department of Education’s Amber Fleming-Morales. Amber is part of OCDE’s Literacy and Language Team, where she helps deliver California Standards-based instruction, training, coaching, and intervention strategies to ensure every aspect of the school system works together to improve student achievement.

Teaching Background and Journey to OCDE

Tell us about your background. What brought you to OCDE? 

For as long as I can remember, a deep love of reading has been a core tenet of my life. I was the kid who stayed up too late with a flashlight reading. I was the kid standing in line at Barnes and Noble to get the newest book release. And I was the kid starting book clubs at my school. 

Being a teacher was always my dream and inspiring a love of reading in students continues to be my passion. My journey began as a Teach for America corps member. That’s where I first stepped into the classroom and witnessed the power of literacy in shaping a student’s academic trajectory. That early experience fueled my passion for educational equity. It set me on a path that has taken me from the classroom to school leadership and now to my current role at the Orange County Department of Education.

At KIPP SoCal, I had the privilege of working as a teacher and an assistant school leader. Later, I became a school principal. Those years were transformative. I worked with incredible educators and students, many of whom faced systemic barriers to success. 

I became deeply invested in the science of reading and data-driven literacy practices, implementing small-group reading structures and reshaping our curriculum to support foundational literacy skills. My work wasn’t just about improving test scores. It was about empowering students with the tools they needed to access opportunity.

OCDE’s Coordinator of Literacy and Language

When the opportunity to join OCDE as Coordinator of Literacy and Language arose, I saw it as a chance to extend my impact beyond a single school. In this role, I focus on developing and delivering high-quality professional learning for educators across Orange County. I strive to ensure that research-based literacy instruction reaches as many students as possible. My work is grounded in the belief that literacy is a fundamental right. Every child—regardless of their background—deserves access to high-quality reading instruction.

One of my primary goals in this role is to bring together individuals who are doing similar work, creating opportunities for collaboration and the exchange of best practices. I believe that when we work together, the impact on students is magnified. In fact, my superpower lies in using new state initiatives as vehicles for fostering collaboration, enabling districts and schools across our county to share strategies for implementing new systems. More importantly, this collaboration empowers us to leverage these insights to drive improved reading outcomes for all students.

I believe the work of teaching can be elevated in service of students when we collaborate and share best practices. 

I believe that when we work together, the impact on students is magnified.

Writing is Equity in Action

Writing has emerged as a central focus for OCDE moving forward. How does writing serve as a critical pathway to literacy and equity, especially in the context of K–5 education? 

Writing is more than just words on a page—it’s the foundation of literacy, critical thinking, and self-expression. Writing instruction is a powerful tool to really teach the whole child and create a lifelong love and appreciation for writing. Strong writing instruction empowers students to find their  voices, articulate their ideas, and engage with the world in meaningful ways. It is the bridge between learning and understanding, between reading and communication. When we teach students to write, we equip them with the tools to advocate for themselves. They have the tools to analyze complex ideas, and to shape their futures. 

Writing is equity in action. Knowing how to write ensures that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to be heard, to succeed, and to thrive. We need to invest in writing, because when students learn to write, they learn to lead. 

It is so important to teach students the building blocks of writing, the authentic purpose of writing, and the joy of writing starting at a young age! I have the distinct privilege of working with our Early Learning team to analyze the crossover and be more intentional in ensuring vertical articulation, starting before they enter kindergarten. 

In 2024, the early learning team and I collaborated to offer a PK–1 Literacy full-day training to explore the vertical articulation that supports early literacy proficiency. Historically, early childhood educators have excelled in making meaningful, authentic, and joyful learning experiences for students. We have a lot to learn from that approach as students advance through the elementary grades. 

Knowing how to write ensures that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to be heard, to succeed, and to thrive.

OCDE Writing Events and Other Resources

Tell us more about OCDE’s new writing initiative. What does that mean and how might educators learn more? What inspired OCDE to host the Write to Joy: K–12 Writing Conference this fall and what do you hope educators will take away from this event? 

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host a writing-specific conference this fall! Our Write to Joy: K-12 Writing Conference will explore writing across the discipline by infusing joy in writing instruction. 

This event will be held at the Orange County Department of Education’s Conference Center on Saturday, October 11, 2025 from 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.. Our keynote speaker is Jen Roberts, a trailblazer in the area of AI and Literacy. Participants will have the opportunity to select from over 20 breakout sessions ranging in topics and grades. Educators will walk away with tangible strategies to support writing in any context! The goal of this event is to celebrate, inspire, and connect. We invite all K–12 educators and leaders to join us! 

Beginning a New Tradition for Reading and Writing Resources

There are a few reasons we decided to host this event. We wanted to start a new tradition of celebrating literacy and learning at OCDE. We’re doing so by hosting a literacy-focused conference each year. Our goal is to celebrate success, networking, and bring in best practices from the field and from researchers to elevate our literacy practices. Specifically, we wanted to create a space to zoom into writing across content areas and disciplines because this is such a critical piece of literacy instruction in our schools.

To be successful in college, career, and community life, students need to be able to write effectively. Not only writing an essay about a text but in so many capacities, across so many content areas. While Orange County overall retains strong ELA California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores, writing continues to be an area of focus and need. 

It’s about making writing feel authentic, meaningful, and MOST importantly, joyful.

It’s not about test scores, though. It’s about making writing feel authentic, meaningful, and MOST importantly, joyful. Starting from our youngest learners all the way to 12th grade, we want students to see writing as something they know how to do. Additionally, we want students to know why they write and to enjoy writing! Writing is a powerful way to make your voice heard. Certainly, it is an effective way to advocate for yourself and others. Consequently, we want all our students to have that opportunity and critical tool. 

Partnering with Collaborative Classroom

How has working with Collaborative Classroom helped OCDE build a more cohesive and impactful approach to writing instruction across districts? 

Work with strategic partners like Collaborative Classroom has enabled OCDE to integrate research-based methodologies, align with state literacy initiatives, and address the unique needs of all students. Basically, by leveraging external expertise and resources, OCDE fosters a unified and effective approach to writing instruction across districts. Part of my work is connecting districts, charters, and schools with resources and effective practices to drive literacy work. By engaging with partners doing this critical work, I am able to share up-to-date, evidence-based practices and supports to better serve the needs of Orange County students and educators. 

OCDE has received valuable resources and expertise from reputable educational organizations such as Collaborative Classroom. For example, Rachel Solis, Senior Manager of Educational Partnerships, has presented at professional learning sessions and joined network conversations throughout the years, along with sharing valuable information to strengthen our collaborative work. 

When coming to my role at OCDE, colleagues already engaging in the work connected me to Rachel Solis. They highlighted the strong ecosystem of support and collaboration that continues to unfold. The topic of writing was a mutual focus area, especially as we think about supporting teachers and writing for joy, ensuring a love of learning and teaching! To continue that support and to bring in voices that understand our approach to writing and the whole child, Collaborative Classroom will be hosting a breakout session at our Write to Joy: K–12 Writing Conference in October.  

Cross-District Collaboration through Reading and Writing Resources, Initiatives, and Pilots

In addition to the support and resources provided through the OCDE writing initiative and the upcoming conference, Collaborative Classroom is launching a Regional Community of Practice Writing Pilot. This initiative aims to break down silos, foster cross-district collaboration, and advance our shared goal of bringing the joy of writing into classrooms—creating environments where both students and teachers are eager to participate each day. Spearheaded by Rachel Solis, this effort brings together educators from across Orange County to explore best practices in writing instruction. 

The initiative underscores the significance of writing as a distinct content area, essential for effective communication and serving as a critical pathway to student success. Additionally, the Bringing Writing to Life: Exploring the Research and Practice of Writing Instruction Institute is open to all educators, designed to sustain the momentum of the writing initiatives sparked by OCDE. This institute provides valuable opportunities for leaders, coaches, and teachers to deepen their knowledge, stay engaged in professional learning, and feel supported and empowered. Scholarships are available to ensure that funding never becomes a barrier to supporting both teachers and students.

Writing for Knowledge, Background, and Cultural Affirmation

What are some of the challenges OCDE faces in implementing these initiatives? How do you overcome them to ensure all students benefit? 

Creating coherent writing instruction in grades K–5 is one challenge we face in this initiative. Making writing feel joyful and connected to our students’ lives is another. Equally important —how can we use writing instruction to deepen understanding and background knowledge, and be culturally affirming? 

We are seeking examples of rigorous writing instruction in grades K–5 that both explicitly teaches the building blocks while also integrating content to deepen content and background knowledge. We are also looking for opportunities to bring educators together. At the same time, we’re seeking ways teachers can make time for writing instruction in the classroom in the face of competing priorities. Without a doubt, this is something that can be a challenge in elementary school. 

At OCDE, we offer both open and custom trainings on best practices to deepen content knowledge in the area of writing (practices that focus on authenticity and joy—and rigor, of course!) along with explicit training on utilizing the ELA/ELD framework to support multilingual students. We love to collaborate with our Project GLAD team to integrate strategies for teachers to do this work. 

Involving the Greater Community

How can teachers, administrators, and community members get more involved in the collaborative efforts around writing and literacy in Orange County? When people are looking for reading, writing, and other education resources they don’t often think of their county office. How would you recommend people get connected with their county offices?

I work on the OCDE Literacy and Language Team in the Curriculum, Instruction and Academic Enrichment division. This team provides support for schools, districts and charters to implement high-quality literacy instruction across Orange County. We serve 28 school districts across the county through high-quality professional learning and technical support. We offer in-person and virtual literacy training, custom professional learning, and host literacy events such as our Write to Joy: K–12 Writing Conference! 

Monthly Literacy and Language Network Meetings bring together literacy leaders from across the county. These meetings facilitate sharing best practices and collaboration on literacy initiatives. As a matter of fact, we also have a monthly newsletter which shares upcoming professional learning opportunities, local literacy events happening in Orange County, literacy updates, reading and writing resources, school spotlights, and more! 

Spreading Awareness of Support

Something that is important to me is getting the word out there about the support the county office can offer, not just for our amazing school districts, but also our charter schools and private schools. Our professional learning, reading and writing resources, collaboration, and technical assistance is in service of ALL students and educators in Orange County. Indeed, my dream is for all districts, schools, charter schools, and private schools to view our county office as a valuable partner and resource in this work.

… my dream is for all districts, schools, charter schools, and private schools to view our county office as a valuable partner and resource in this work.

What advice or insights might you share with California schools or districts that are working to increase student achievement in literacy? Specifically, how they can get connected to writing resources?  

Strengthening K–5 writing instruction is key to building strong literacy foundations. Some ideas include: 

• Contact us at OCDE to learn more about writing resources, professional learning opportunities, and more! 
• Emphasize with educators how writing and reading develop together—explicit writing instruction strengthens phonics, fluency, and comprehension.
• Encourage daily writing across subjects, including science and social studies, to build stamina and confidence.
• Use interactive writing and shared writing in early grades to model sentence structure and idea development.
• Offer grade-specific training on research-based writing strategies

• Implement modeled, shared, interactive, and independent writing to gradually release responsibility to students.
• Provide sentence frames and oral rehearsal for multilingual learners to help them structure their ideas before writing.
• Use mentor texts to expose students to different writing styles and text structures.

• Make writing meaningful by incorporating student choice—journals, letters, and creative storytelling in particular, engage young writers.
• Create writing celebrations where students share their work with peers, families, or the school community.
• Encourage authentic writing tasks, such as writing book reviews, informational posters, or letters to community leaders.

Related Reading:

Elyse Eidman-Aadahl of the National Writing Project on Writing Instruction

Effective Writing Instruction and the Limits of AI

5 Ways to Build a Strong Writing Community