About Francine Swickheimer

Dr. Francine Swickheimer is the founder of EA Literacy and Learning, a structured literacy professional development and consulting organization serving K–12 schools and districts nationwide. Ed.D. in Reading and Literacy; C-SLDI — Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist. Since 1997, Dr. Francine Swickheimer has served in roles spanning classroom teaching, district leadership, and national consulting—including Director of Literacy, MTSS/RtI Coordinator, and National Professional Learning Facilitator for LETRS—helping educators translate literacy research into daily classroom practice.

“My mission isn't simply to share literacy research — it's to help educators transform that research into instruction that changes students' lives.”

My Impact at a Glance

Serving students and educators since 1997
Classroom to National Leadership — Experience spanning classroom teaching, school leadership, district leadership, and national consulting
Hundreds of Educators Supported — Through coaching, consulting, workshops, conference presentations, and professional learning
One Mission — Where Research Meets the Classroom

A Career Dedicated to Literacy Leadership

My career began in the elementary classroom, where I taught students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Those early years shaped my understanding of effective literacy instruction and deepened my commitment to helping every child become a successful reader.
As my career evolved, I was fortunate to serve in increasingly diverse leadership roles, including:

Classroom Teacher
Primary Education Specialist
District Academic Coordinator
Regional Literacy Director
MTSS and RtI Coordinator
Senior Manager of Academics (TNTP)
Managing Director of Academics
National Professional Learning Facilitator (LETRS)
Educational Consultant (CORE)
Independent Consultant (95 Percent Group)
Founder and President, EA Literacy & Learning

These experiences have allowed me to partner with teachers, instructional coaches, principals, district leaders, and state education organizations to strengthen literacy systems, improve instructional practices, and support sustainable school improvement.

Career Highlights

Francine teaching reading to a little girl.jpg

1997 — Began teaching in elementary classrooms
2008 — Named Florida Regional Reading Teacher of the Year
2019 — Literacy Director
2021 — Managing Director of Academics
2022–Present — National Professional Learning Facilitator for LETRS through Cambium Learning
2023–Present — Founded EA Literacy & Learning
2023-Present — Educational Consultant with the 95 Percent Group
2024–Present — Educational Consultant with CORE
2024-Present — Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist
2026 — Presented “Building Word Power: Effective Morphology Instruction” at the Florida Literacy Association Conference

You can see my full career history here.

Sharing Literacy with Educators

One of the greatest privileges of my career has been learning alongside educators. Over the years, I have designed and facilitated professional learning for schools, districts, educational organizations, and conferences on topics including:

Structured Literacy
Science of Reading
Dyslexia
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Vocabulary
Morphology
Reading Comprehension
Writing Instruction
Assessment
Data-Based Decision Making
Literacy Leadership
MTSS
Technology Integration

Recent highlights include:

Presenter, Building Word Power: Effective Morphology Instruction — Florida Literacy Association Conference (2026)
Featured Guest, inaugural episode of From Phonics to Fluency: And Everything in Between, discussing purposeful technology integration in today's classrooms
National Professional Learning Facilitator for LETRS
Professional Learning Consultant for 95 Percent Group
Educational Consultant for CORE
Whether presenting to twenty educators or hundreds, my goal is always the same: provide practical strategies educators can confidently use tomorrow.

Leadership Beyond the Classroom

Supporting literacy extends beyond the schools I've served. Throughout my career, I have been honored to contribute to literacy education through professional organizations, statewide initiatives, curriculum development, conference leadership, and educator professional learning.

Professional Leadership

Founding Board Member, The Reading League Arkansas
District Director, Florida Reading Association
Co-Chair, Florida Reading Association Children's Book Award Program
Conference Proposal Reviewer, Florida Reading Association
President, Lee County Reading Council
Pearson Digital Curriculum Review Committee
FAIR Master Trainer
Florida Reading Initiative Trainer
DIBELS District Trainer
Mentor and Cooperating Teacher for future educators

Recognition

Throughout my career, I have been honored to receive recognition for my contributions to literacy education, including:

Florida Regional Reading Teacher of the Year
Florida Reading Teacher of the Year Finalist
Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction
Golden Apple Teacher of the Year Finalist
Lee County Teacher of the Year Finalist
Columbia County Reading Teacher of the Year
National Board Certified Teacher

While these honors are deeply meaningful, the greatest reward has always been partnering with educators and watching students become confident, capable readers.

What I Believe and Why I Started
EA Literacy and Learning

I believe every child deserves access to excellent literacy instruction. I believe teachers deserve professional learning that is practical, relevant, and grounded in evidence. I believe educational research should never remain confined to journals — it should empower educators, strengthen instruction, and improve student outcomes. Above all, I believe literacy changes lives.

After nearly three decades in education, I founded EA Literacy & Learning to answer the questions I kept hearing from educators: “What does the research actually say?” and “How do I apply it in my classroom tomorrow?” My goal is to make evidence-based literacy practices accessible, practical, and meaningful - so educators feel supported, confident, and equipped to help every student become a successful reader.

Let's Connect!

Whether you're a classroom teacher, literacy coach, school leader, district administrator, or educational organization, I would be honored to partner with you in strengthening literacy instruction and supporting meaningful student growth. Together, we can bridge the gap between research and classroom practice.