Prepare to Collaborate for SPIRE Literacy Success: A Pre-Meeting Guide

Time is precious, especially for education leaders navigating competing priorities. That’s why a collaborative meeting with a literacy solution provider should be purposeful, well-structured, and focused on a district’s specific needs. Whether exploring an intervention solution or considering a supplemental tool to enhance core instruction, intentional preparation can turn a standard sales meeting or presentation into a meaningful working session.  

The following strategies can help district and school teams make the most of collaborative meetings to explore the SPIRE Literacy Suite: 

1. Invite the Right Stakeholders 

A strong evaluation team includes a cross-section of roles. Consider inviting curriculum and instructional leaders, special education coordinators, multilingual learner specialists, literacy coaches, principals, and teachers to ensure that diverse perspectives are represented. This also fosters buy-in from the very beginning. 

2. Share Key Questions and Concerns in Advance 

Whenever possible, send guiding questions ahead of time so the EPS Learning representative can tailor the conversation. Areas of specific interest may include multilingual learner support, serving students with signs of dyslexia, ease of implementation, and professional learning and support services.  

3. Center Around District Priorities  

To support deeper inquiry and to respect leaders’ time, EPS Learning account executives conduct research in advance of an initial meeting. This may include reviewing the district’s strategic plan, performance data, and other publicly available materials. During the meeting, this background knowledge helps ensure the conversation remains focused on the district’s most pressing literacy challenges.  

While pre-meeting research provides important context, conversations become even more targeted and productive when district and school leaders clearly articulate their current priorities. These may include lagging reading proficiency scores, foundational skill gaps in the upper grades, increased special education referrals, or the need to build teacher confidence in delivering Structured Literacy instruction or intervention. Bringing one or two specific literacy goals from the district’s strategic plan can further anchor the conversation and lead to a more collaborative, solutions-oriented dialogue. 

4. Allocate a Full Hour 

A 30-minute or 45-minute overview rarely provides sufficient time for meaningful conversation. A full hour allows for brief introductions, a solution demo, discussion, space for questions, and clarification of next steps. Adequate time supports deeper engagement and informed decision-making. 

5. Inquire About Implementation and Partnership 

The indicators of success for any instructional solution should be defined before implementation begins. Clarifying what success looks like after the first and second years of implementation can guide early conversations about planning processes, training timelines, coaching services, and long-term support. These conversations also help establish implementation as a shared responsibility. Solution providers who approach the relationship as a true partnership will offer meaningful support throughout implementation and actively contribute to achieving the district’s literacy goals. 

6. Debrief and Plan for Next Steps While the Conversation is Fresh 

A short team debrief immediately following the meeting can help identify key takeaways, surface lingering questions, and define next steps. Clarifying whether additional stakeholders should be involved or if further exploration is needed helps maintain forward momentum.  

Note that some districts find value in scheduling a follow-up meeting focused on potential intervention scenarios, grounded in the district’s own data and student needs. 

Ultimately, thoughtfully structured meetings with intentional preparation lay the foundation for strong partnerships and lasting literacy gains.