California’s New Literacy Requirements Are Here. Is Your District Ready?

 

 

With AB 1454 and the Golden State Literacy Plan setting new expectations for literacy instruction, district leaders must adopt evidence-based materials, strengthen Structured Literacy practices, and implement a coherent, multiyear literacy road map. Voyager Sopris Learning® offers proven solutions and support to help California educators meet these requirements with confidence.

 

Talk With a California Representative

 

About AB 1454 & What It Means for Districts

AB 1454 modernizes California’s literacy expectations by requiring districts to:

  • Adopt evidence-based instructional materials grounded in the science of reading
  • Provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
  • Implement Structured Literacy practices for struggling readers, multilingual learners, and students with dyslexia
  • Offer aligned professional learning and ongoing educator support
  • Create a district literacy plan that supports early reading, intervention pathways, and secondary literacy
  • Ensure materials and instruction are inclusive, linguistically responsive, and accessible

These requirements align directly with the Golden State Literacy Plan, creating a unified statewide road map for improving reading outcomes.

Voyager Sopris Learning provides solutions designed to meet these expectations while supporting districts in long-term, scalable implementation.

Supporting California Literacy Requirements

California educators need tools that directly support the state’s literacy road map. Our programs reinforce AB 1454 expectations through:

Structured Literacy for All Learners
Solutions grounded in explicit, systematic instruction that build foundational skills and support students who struggle with decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.

Multilingual Learner & Dyslexia-Responsive Supports
Aligned with AB 1454’s emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, our solutions embed scaffolds and structured routines that support English learners and students with identified reading difficulties.

Professional Learning That Meets State Expectations
We help districts meet AB 1454’s requirements for teacher preparation and ongoing coaching.
Our team collaborates with districts to develop multiyear literacy plans aligned to both AB 1454 and the Golden State Literacy Plan including pacing, intervention practices, and implementing with fidelity.

 

 

Building Your California Literacy Roadmap

 

Building Your California Literacy Roadmap

 

  • Implement science of reading-aligned practices
  • Provide structured intervention for secondary students
  • Strengthen writing skills that reinforce comprehension
  • Support English learners with explicit, language-rich instruction
  • Map instruction to instructional needs, pacing, and district goals
  • Ensure teachers feel confident through ongoing support and professional learning

These solutions give districts a cohesive, research-based approach that aligns to state expectations while supporting diverse learner groups.

California Literacy Roadmap

Voyager Sopris Solutions Aligned to California's Literacy Roadmap & AB 1454

District leaders need a suite of evidence-based materials to meet AB 1454 requirements across grade levels.

Here is a consolidated view of how Voyager Sopris Learning programs support California’s roadmap:

Area of Need

California Literacy Priorities

Voyager Sopris Solutions

Foundational Reading (K–3)

Explicit instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary

Sound PartnersVoyager Passport®LINKS to Literacy™

Reading Intervention (Grades 4–12)

Structured Literacy for students below grade level; dyslexia-responsive

REWARDS®LANGUAGE! Live®LINKS to LiteracyVoyager Passport

Multilingual Learner Support

Linguistically responsive scaffolds, vocabulary development

Voyager Passport, LANGUAGE! Live

Writing & Language Development

Strengthening comprehension, structure, writing-to-learn

Step Up to Writing

Tiered Intervention Pathways

AB 1454 requirement for intervention options & multitiered supports

Voyager PassportREWARDS

Professional Learning & Coaching

Required educator training on evidence-based literacy practices

Voyager Sopris Learning Customer Success & Implementation Support

 

These solutions work together or individually depending on a district’s road map, priorities, and current instructional landscape.


Get Help Designing Your Literacy Road Map

Let’s Strengthen Literacy Outcomes Together

Our team partners closely with California educators to identify the right fit for your needs, whether you’re supporting struggling readers, building writing proficiency, or planning Structured Literacy adoption.


Request Information

 

Sound Partners
Grades (K–3)

Sound Partners is a research-based, supplementary tutoring program that provides individual instruction in phonics-based early reading skills. Through explicit instruction, engaging 30-minute lesson activities, and storybook reading practice, students work to improve alphabetic, phonemic awareness, decoding, word identification, and spelling skills.

Voyager Passport
Grades (K–5)

The journey to literacy requires essential tools to ensure students who struggle can reach grade level. Updated Voyager Passport® is a K–5 literacy intervention that provides comprehensive, explicit, and systemic instruction in the five essential components of reading and includes language and writing—in just 30 minutes of instruction per day.

LINKS to Literacy
Grades (K–5)

LINKS to Literacy is a reading intervention program for developing readers in grades K–5. Based on the science of reading, it delivers systematic, explicit instruction in the five essential components of reading. LINKS to Literacy is designed for small-group intervention, includes flexible implementation models, and follows a consistent routine with engaging themes about art, science, technology, travel, personal reflection, courage, and resilience. This solution gives students more opportunities for practice and immediate corrective feedback.

REWARDS
Grades (4–12)

The REWARDS® suite is a powerful, research-validated program for adolescent students who struggle reading long, multisyllabic words and comprehending content-area text. With explicit, teacher-led instruction, REWARDS gives students the tools to improve fluency and comprehension to become successful readers.

LANGUAGE! Live
Grades (5–12)

This blended program applies the Structured Literacy approach recommended by the IDA and provides explicit, systematic, and cumulative foundational reading skill instruction. The program emphasizes higher-level comprehension as students progress and develop speed, accuracy, and automaticity while reading more complex text.

Step Up to Writing
Grades (K–12)

This research-based program is multisensory, explicit, and systematic, so students of all abilities, including those with dyslexia and English language learners, can improve their writing prowess. Step Up to Writing’s differentiated approach caters to students with varying needs, making it the optimal addition to any school curriculum.