Adrienne Williams

Chief Program Officer, Literacy

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Adrienne Williams
A Quote That Inspires Me

“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.” -bell hooks

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What I Work On

In my role as a Director, I collaborate with and support amazing colleagues to design creative, equity-focused resources for educators to utilize in their classrooms and schools. Together, we serve the education community to improve instruction and cultivate equitable classroom practices. My primary area is literacy education.

Why I Work Here

My connection to SAP began when I first entered the classroom back in 2010 and the standards had just been published. First as a teacher soaking up learning and resources, to becoming a Core Advocate, and now as a Director, I’ve come full circle. In that ten-year journey, SAP has been a source of information, support, and care as it relates to instruction and their focus on Black students and English Language Learners resonates with my personal passion for education. I believe education can be a catalyst that unlocks the genius in all students and am grateful to be part of a team that aims to make that a reality.

My Education and Experience

Prior to joining Student Achievement Partners, I've worked as a first and third grade teacher as well as a curriculum manager in Washington, DC. I hold a BA in International Affairs from George Washington University and MA in Elementary and Special Education from Lesley University. My path into education was through Urban Teachers' 4-year alternative certification program. Over the 12 years I've been in education I've been fortunate to work on projects at the classroom, school, district, and state level across the country and hone my expertise in literacy, culturally relevant practices, change management, content design, teacher leadership, and professional learning.

More About Me

I was born and raised in Syracuse, NY but currently reside in Maryland with my husband. I love reading and spending time outdoors by the water or in the mountains.

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More from Adrienne

  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • Literacy

Designing Culturally Relevant Text Sets

Leveraging the power of text sets to support culturally relevant instruction In this post, the design team behind a new text set prototype shares insights from their process thus far. This draft Text… Read More

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  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Peers & Pedagogy

Targeting Critical Years in Literacy: 6th & 9th Grades Reimagined

Systems function as they were designed. This includes public schools, where there are too many systemwide failures teaching students how to read at grade level, and disproportionately so for Black stu… Read More

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  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • High School

High-Quality Curriculum Raised the Bar, But Not High Enough

What we miss when we narrowly define what “high-quality” means in instructional materials When I was a fledgling teacher, I looked to organizations like Student Achievement Partners (SAP) for guidance… Read More

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