What does the research actually say about how children learn to read—and why hasn’t it reached every classroom?
In this episode, we examine decades of reading science alongside the real experiences of teachers, parents, and students. From the National Institutes of Health to classrooms across Kansas, the evidence is clear: we know how children learn to read.
So why are so many still being left behind?
As national organizations call for a $2.5 billion overhaul of teacher preparation, a deeper truth emerges—this isn’t just a reading crisis.
It’s a teacher preparation crisis.
If we know how children learn to read…
why weren’t teachers taught it?
Dr. Reid Lyon (NIH): Decades of research showing we’ve long understood how reading develops
Neil Zoglmann (teacher): What it feels like to be trained in methods that don’t align with research
Dana Hensley (retired principal): Why teachers leave training without practical tools
Amy Nolan (professor): How literacy gaps show up in college students
Savannah Ball (Wichita Public Library): What struggling readers look like in real life
Tammi Hope (Rolph Literacy Academy): What happens when instruction finally aligns with the brain
Heather Mora (parent): How the right instruction changed her child’s life
Dr. Tim Odegard (researcher): Why preparation and classroom practice must align
Dr. Carolynn Carlson (Washburn University): What responsible teacher preparation should look like
Teacher Preparation & Policy
Science of Reading
National Reporting
Kansas Context
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Because change doesn’t start in systems—
it starts with awareness.
