Derfel smiled as she shared the story because, in many ways, it captures where North Carolina’s literacy work stands today. “We only have 115 Early Literacy Specialists, which we’re grateful for, and they’re phenomenal, but North Carolina is a huge state,” Barber explained. That vision began taking shape last year when OEL’s regional consultants completed Excel in Ed’s Fundamentals of Literacy Coaching. For Barber and Derfel, strengthening language comprehension represents the next stage of North Carolina’s literacy journey. The quiet work of lasting changeFrom the outside, North Carolina’s literacy work may appear quieter than it did just a few years ago.