About CRA

California Reading Association (CRA) is a non-profit professional organization of educators who are actively involved in all aspects of reading and language arts education, from kindergarten through university levels. The state organization, an affiliate of the International Reading Association (IRA), consists of more than 55 active local reading councils located in different service areas around the state. Over 3,000 educators hold membership in this professional organization.

The California Reading Association is committed to promoting standards-aligned instruction consistent with the California Reading/Language Arts Framework (1999), which is designed to meet the needs of all learners. CRA supports the use of research-based teaching strategies designed to enable students to decode, comprehend, think critically, and communicate effectively.

CRA Mission

Promote literacy for all.

Provide a local and statewide network of teachers and administrators associated with issues of reading and language arts instruction, including writing, spelling, thematic instruction, and assessment.

Support the activities of the local reading councils and provide a concentrated focus and dialogue about literacy issues.

Advocate for strong balanced reading and language arts programs for all learners in which essential literacy skills and high-quality texts are used effectively to create a seamless curricular approach.

Promote timely instructional materials, resources, and information on current reading and language arts research, trends, and instructional approaches.

Provide timely information on legislation and education policy affecting the literacy picture in California and across the nation.

Promote the pursuit of life-long reading.

Policies and Positions

A collection of CRA policies and positions