Equity Toolkit for District Leaders

Translating a statewide equity framework into an accessible, actionable district toolkit

View Final Toolkit → Hosted by US Dept. of Education

Client

Alaska Department of Education

Year

2024

Services

Content Editing
Source Review
Citation Standardization

Graphic Design
Publiation Layout

Context

The Oregon Department of Education was rolling out its statewide Equity Strategic Plan, which uses an inside-out theory of action: starting with self-reflection, moving to systems change, and ultimately shifting practice.

This toolkit was developed as a companion resource to extend the plan’s principles to district leaders, providing practical guidance, frameworks, and reflection tools to support local implementation. The material needed to be accessible, credible, and actionable for district teams navigating complex systems change.

Strategy

Translate statewide equity frameworks into accessible, action-oriented guidance for district leaders.
Refine toolkit language to enhance ease of comprehension, message clarity, and scanability.
Improve usability through consistent structure, clear visual hierarchy, and intentional design systems.

Tactics

Streamline language and reduce jargon to improve clarity and usability.
Standardize all references and create a cohesive citation system.
Implement a color-coded chapter system to support navigation and phase-based implementation.
Redesign borrowed graphics to align with branding, message specificity, and sufficient transformation to comply with fair-use standards.
Design layouts that prioritize scannability, flow, and ease of use.

outcome

A cohesive, research-aligned toolkit that translates statewide equity principles into clear, practical guidance for district leaders. The final guide supports reflection, decision-making, and implementation by making complex frameworks easier to understand, navigate, and apply in practice.

science of reading sympsiom materials

Cover image for the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium materials, featuring three circular stickers resting on grass. The stickers feature native Alaskan animals, an otter, a moose, and a polar bear, reading books. Text: "Otterly excited about literacy," "The Science of Reading: Use it or Moose it," and "Reading brings endless clawsibilities."

A first-grade reading teacher in the classroom, wearing a t-shirt I designed for the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium sticker featuring an otter reading a book under water, sitting in a clam shell. Text: Otterly excited about literacy.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium sticker featuring a moose reading a book against a forest/mountain landscape. Text: The Science of Reading: Use it or Moose it.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium sticker featuring a polar bear reading a book in the snow. Text: Reading brings endless clawsibilities.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium bookmark featuring an otter reading a book under water, sitting in a clam shell. Text: Otterly excited about literacy.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium bookmark featuring a moose reading a book against a forest/mountain landscape. Text: The Science of Reading: Use it or Moose it.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium bookmark featuring a polar bear reading a book in the snow. Text: Reading brings endless clawsibilities.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium poster featuring an otter reading a book under water, sitting in a clam shell. Text: Otterly excited about literacy.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium poster featuring a moose reading a book against a forest/mountain landscape. Text: The Science of Reading: Use it or Moose it.

Alaska Science of Reading Symposium poster featuring a polar bear reading a book in the snow. Text: Reading brings endless clawsibilities.

Client

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

My Role

Design

Context

For years, Alaska ranked near or at the bottom among all states on national reading assessments, leading the Alaska State Board of Education to adopt Alaska’s Education Challenge in 2017, prioritizing early literacy to close opportunity gaps and improve student outcomes.

To support this, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development began hosting an annual Science of Reading Symposium in 2022, where educators and educational leaders can explore approaches and strategies to literacy instruction backed by the Science of Reading. The Science of Reading is an ongoing field of study that examines the last fifty years of research to determine the most effective ways to teach reading.

Deliverables

For the 2024 symposium, I designed three themed visuals featuring an otter, moose, and polar bear—all native Alaskan animals—which were used for stickers, posters, and bookmarks distributed at the symposium to engage and inspire educators to share the materials with colleagues and students.

The designs resonated with educators and students alike. The stickers had flown off the shelves by the end of the first day, the symposium t-shirt vendor's inventory featuring my artwork sold out twice, and when I visited an Anchorage elementary school for b-roll footage for the Alaska's Road to Reading video, a 1st grade teacher was wearing a shirt with my design.

Science of reading materials

Client

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

My Role

Design

Context

For years, Alaska ranked near or at the bottom among all states on national reading assessments, leading the Alaska State Board of Education to adopt Alaska’s Education Challenge in 2017, prioritizing early literacy to close opportunity gaps and improve student outcomes.

To support this, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development began hosting an annual Science of Reading Symposium in 2022, where educators and educational leaders can explore approaches and strategies to literacy instruction backed by the Science of Reading. The Science of Reading is an ongoing field of study that examines the last fifty years of research to determine the most effective ways to teach reading.

Deliverables

For the 2024 symposium, I designed three themed visuals featuring an otter, moose, and polar bear—all native Alaskan animals—which were used for stickers, posters, and bookmarks distributed at the symposium to engage and inspire educators to share the materials with colleagues and students.

The designs resonated with educators and students alike. The stickers had flown off the shelves by the end of the first day, the symposium t-shirt vendor's inventory featuring my artwork sold out twice, and when I visited an Anchorage elementary school for b-roll footage for the Alaska's Road to Reading video, a 1st grade teacher was wearing a shirt with my design.

Science of reading materials

Client

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

My Role

Design

Context

For years, Alaska ranked near or at the bottom among all states on national reading assessments, leading the Alaska State Board of Education to adopt Alaska’s Education Challenge in 2017, prioritizing early literacy to close opportunity gaps and improve student outcomes.

To support this, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development began hosting an annual Science of Reading Symposium in 2022, where educators and educational leaders can explore approaches and strategies to literacy instruction backed by the Science of Reading. The Science of Reading is an ongoing field of study that examines the last fifty years of research to determine the most effective ways to teach reading.

Deliverables

For the 2024 symposium, I designed three themed visuals featuring an otter, moose, and polar bear—all native Alaskan animals—which were used for stickers, posters, and bookmarks distributed at the symposium to engage and inspire educators to share the materials with colleagues and students.

The designs resonated with educators and students alike. The stickers had flown off the shelves by the end of the first day, the symposium t-shirt vendor's inventory featuring my artwork sold out twice, and when I visited an Anchorage elementary school for b-roll footage for the Alaska's Road to Reading video, a 1st grade teacher was wearing a shirt with my design.

Science of reading symposium materials

Cover image for the Region 16 Tribal thank-you cards, featuring the word Luuwi, meaning "thank you," in Hanis, one of the Tribe's ancestral languages, against a photo of Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Tribal members paddling in a canoe.

Cover image of the Burns Paiute Tribe thank-you card from Region 16 Comprehensive Center, featuring the words Pisa Eh, meaning "thank you," in Wadatika, one of the Tribe's ancestral languages, against a close-up photo of beaded slippers displayed in the Tribal headquarters.

Client

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

My Role

Design

Context

For years, Alaska ranked near or at the bottom among all states on national reading assessments, leading the Alaska State Board of Education to adopt Alaska’s Education Challenge in 2017, prioritizing early literacy to close opportunity gaps and improve student outcomes.

To support this, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development began hosting an annual Science of Reading Symposium in 2022, where educators and educational leaders can explore approaches and strategies to literacy instruction backed by the Science of Reading. The Science of Reading is an ongoing field of study that examines the last fifty years of research to determine the most effective ways to teach reading.

Deliverables

For the 2024 symposium, I designed three themed visuals featuring an otter, moose, and polar bear—all native Alaskan animals—which were used for stickers, posters, and bookmarks distributed at the symposium to engage and inspire educators to share the materials with colleagues and students.

The designs resonated with educators and students alike. The stickers had flown off the shelves by the end of the first day, the symposium t-shirt vendor's inventory featuring my artwork sold out twice, and when I visited an Anchorage elementary school for b-roll footage for the Alaska's Road to Reading video, a 1st grade teacher was wearing a shirt with my design.