Dr. Eliza T. Dresang, the Beverly Cleary Professor for Children and Youth Services at the University of Washington's Information School, has been selected to serve on the Washington State Birth-to-12 Literacy Team. The Team consists of twenty-five literacy educators and community members who have a high level of expertise in literacy and who represent the diversity of the state.

This team, appointed by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and supported by "Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Plan," a formula grant from the U.S. Department of Education, will contribute to the development of a statewide birth-to-12 comprehensive literacy plan. A draft of the plan must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education no later than February 1, 2011. Members are appointed to the Team for a two year term to assist with both development and implementation of the Literacy Plan.

Dr. Dresang currently serves on the Washington State Library's Library Council of Washington. Neel Parikh was also appointed to the Literacy Team. Parikh, Director of the Pierce County Library System, is a partner through the Early Learning Public Library Partnership with the University of Washington Information School IMLS-Funded Project headed by Dr. Dresang, Project VIEWS Valuable Initiatives in Early Literacy that Work Successfully.