Learn more about our fabulous

2025 CCIRA Conference speakers!

Click the button below to read all about them and access links to their

websites and social media pages.

Have a great idea to present at

the 2025 CCIRA Conference?

Fill out the form below to submit a presentation proposal for the 2025 CCIRA Conference, The Sky is Never the Limit. We want attendees to gain knowledge and gather tools that will help them take their students to new heights. Do you have a presentation idea that falls within the areas of

Teamwork, Technology, Pedagogy, or Wellness?

If so, submit a proposal by May 15th!

We have a new venue for the 2025 Conference!

DoubleTree by Hilton

3203 Quebec St., Denver

This new venue features a perfect layout for the conference. It's newly renovated with plenty of parking and on-site dining choices.

Costs for rooms and luncheons will be less too!

An Evening Workshop on Redefining Family Engagement Toward Positive Partnerships with Nawal Qarooni 

Join CCIRA for an evening workshop with Nawal Qarooni, educator and author of Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations: Exalting Home Experiences and Classroom Practices for Collective Care.  On Thursday, June 13 from 6:30-7:40 pm MST, CCIRA and Nawal Qarooni will engage in a session of professional development focused on caregiver relationships. This interactive session will focus on the simple truth that we cannot separate knowing our students from knowing their homes, communities, and the people they love. In the webinar, we will explore practical moves you can make as an educator or school leader to truly co-create learning with families in order to strengthen relationships and grow student achievement across the board. Learn more about Nawal and her work on her website at nqcliteracy.org 

We will be giving away several copies of Nawal's book, Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations: Exalting Home Experiences and Classroom Practices for Collective Care (which you can find at Amazon or directly from the publisher, Routledge.)

Listen to Nawal's recent feature on the Cult of Pedagogy Podcast here, in addition to the KQED excerpt from her book on creating community maps as inclusive practice here.

Sign up to attend the Zoom webinar here. 

CCIRA Professional Development Blog

All Things Literacy

The CCIRA blog features a wide variety of nationally renowned literacy experts, as well as talented practitioners from across Colorado. Check out the posts on https://ccira.blog/  

📢New Blog Alert!!📢

Take a look at the newest post, A Conversation with John Schu, where John shares his experiences and insights. Other blog posts you will find are Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations: Families Know by Nawal Qarooni, Scrape the Mud Off and Hike On! by Katie and Maria Walther, Inviting Growth: The Teacher’s Role in Affirming, Acknowledging, Shifting, & ExpandingStudents’ Literate Identities by Dr. Jennifer Scoggin and Hannah Schneewind along with Scott McLeod's Student (dis)engagement. You can also read Holding on to the Axe by Kylene Beers, Word Histories in Your Word Study-Stories and Processes by Shane Templeton, Making the Case for Slow Reading by Maria Nichols, and Reflection is Where the Learning Sticks: A Conversation and Resources for Sustainable Movement-Making in Schools by Kass Minor. Carl Anderson's Teach Writing With Mentor Texts! and Look After Your Twisted Ankles: Professional Development in Troubled Times by Kate and Maggie Roberts are also there for your reading enjoyment. Most of these authors were CCIRA Conference presenters!!

📃If you are interested in submitting a guest post to the CCIRA blog, please contact Hollyanna Bates.📃 hollyannabates@gmail.com

2025 Nominees

Click the button to find a PDF of the 2025 nominees

and information on how to have students vote.

Local Activity Grant - Due August 1

Does your council have a great idea for an activity involving reading/writing instruction or promoting literacy in schools? If so, you can fill out the application for the Local Activity Grant (formerly the Council Development Grant). Click the button below to go to the grants page of the CCIRA website. This grant is awarded three times a year. Due dates for applications are August 1, February 1, and April 1. Contact Jessica Endres with any questions you may have.

CCIRA is a non-profit organization that works to empower literacy educators. As a non-profit organization, we appreciate support in a variety of ways:

• Donate
• Support a Conference Scholarship Opportunity
• Leverage fundraising programs to earn CCIRA money
• Volunteer with CCIRA

Featured Fundraiser!

CCIRA Partners in Empowering Literacy Educators

TOP REASONS TO PARTNER WITH CCIRA

• Over 2000 conference attendees will learn about your partnership with CCIRA.
• Our educator community will see your support on our webpage.
• Visitors to the CCIRA website will learn about your organization and its events.
• Our combined support of literacy will impact students across our state and neighboring states.

CCIRA collaboratively encourages, supports, and advances literacy through research-based instructional practices to increase literacy access to all.

All people will be empowered to critically engage in our changing world by developing and utilizing literacy skills throughout life.

CCIRA.inc. | ccirainfo@gmail.com | ccira.org