Dana Center Role
Claire the director of Literacy First, a program of the Center dedicated to ensuring that all students learn to read by the end of second grade, allowing them to realize their full potential with regard to education, economic opportunity, civic engagement, and personal development. Claire joined the Literacy First team in spring 2022 and is responsible for all aspects of the program.
Literacy First was founded in 1994 by Dr. Uri Treisman (founder of the Center) and led by Dr. Mary Ellen Isaacs from 1997–2022. Literacy First trains AmeriCorps tutors to deliver evidence-based literacy tutoring to young, struggling readers. In addition to managing a highly effective AmeriCorps program, Literacy First provides school partners with a variety of support services focused on helping growing readers succeed; these services include 1:1 literacy interventions, teacher and staff training, instructional coaching, data-centered advising, and bilingual and culturally relevant reading resources and interventions.
Before Joining the Dana Center
Prior to joining the Center, Claire taught reading to multilingual learners at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She served as the language arts supervisor for Austin Independent School District.
Claire earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, with her doctoral residency at the Texas Education Agency as the Statewide Early Child Fellow.
Education
- Ed.L.D., Doctor of Education Leadership, Harvard University
- M.A., Language and Literacy Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
- B.A., History and Spanish, University of Kansas