Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, Deputy Chief of Curriculum and Instruction in the School District of Philadelphia, has played an integral role leading and sustaining a transition to the Science of Reading in the Philadelphia public school district. But making such a change across a large district is difficult. In this episode, Dr. Francis-Thompson (who goes by Dr. Ny) talks with Susan about Philadelphia’s experience. She also talks about her own experience learning about the Science of Reading, and offers tips to other district-level leaders and wisdom about providing all students with the liberation that comes through reading and leading—all with love at the center.Additional Resources:Dr. Ny’s LinkedIn profileFocused implementation: Doing less to do more with Dr. Doug Reeves—Podcast episode2021 The Philadelphia Citizen story: “A Better Way to Teach Reading” 2021 Chalkbeat Philadelphia story: “Just 32% of Philadelphia third graders read on grade level. Freedom Schools Literacy Academy could be a model to change that.”A 2017 Accountability Review Council report on Philadelphia: “Promoting the Science of Reading Instruction in Philadelphia Public Elementary Schools: Early Implementation Lessons”Video of Dr. Ny speaking: “Equity in Curriculum”Dr. Ny’s 2017 dissertation: “Beyond the Pink Sand: Case Studies of Experiences of Multi-Tier System of Supports Implementation in the Bermuda Public School System”Quotes:“I have never met a student that did not want to learn how to read or a family that did not understand the importance of their children knowing how to read.” —Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson“We have to listen to our young people in order to be able to move with that sense of urgency.” —Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson“Liberation is connected to our students being literate… In order for our students to truly be free, we [need to] understand the power that reading has in their future.”—Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson“We have to remember who we are serving and why we are serving them.” —Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson“A lot of times when you’re in a large system and you’re leading a large system, it can become very robotic-like a machine. You do this, you get this, you do this, you get this. But there’s a human aspect that if you have not considered that human aspect, you could very well end up in the same place that you’re trying to move away from.”—Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson“And while it’s a five-year strategic plan, we do have a sense of urgency and I’m sure within that there are gonna be benchmarks and hundred-day plans and smaller plans to make sure that we are actually doubling down again on the things that truly matter, that are gonna lead, outcomes for our students here in the school district.”—Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson“If we’re only in the business of educating some students, then what are we really doing? It’s important to look at the students that are not benefitting and really identifying the things that work for that population of students rather than continuing with practices that aren’t meeting the needs of the students we’re serving.” —Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson

As the former chief academic officer at the Louisiana Department of Education, Rebecca Kockler made it her mission to empower districts to select higher quality materials. This involved a thorough and rigorous curriculum review, and allowing teachers to choose the program they wanted once they knew exactly what they were getting. This work built Kockler’s case for focusing on quality curricula as a vital part of student success. Using Kockler’s work in Louisiana as a case study, this episode shows why state governments should focus on logistics, procurement, and equipping educators with the information they need to make the best decision for their students.Additional Resources:Louisiana Department of Education’s instructional materials review Education Next: Louisiana Threads the Needle on Ed ReformBio on the the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) websiteUS News: A Compelling Case for CurriculumQuotes:“It was really our teachers who led so much of the charge to say, ‘No, this is what we want. We believe kids should be held to high expectations. We believe they're capable, we believe they deserve it.’”– Rebecca Kockler, Program Director of Reading Reimagined within AERDF, CEO and Founder of Illuminate Literacy, and former Assistant Superintendent of Academics at the Louisiana Department of Education

Mimi Stewart is a state senator from New Mexico and previously worked as a public school elementary special education teacher for thirty years, with an expertise in reading literacy. Her unique background has turned into a passion for and a history of championing educational policies as a legislator. This episode focuses on how state government and state legislation can work to improve literacy instruction. She takes us through the process of creating a piece of literacy legislation, New Mexico Senate Bill 398, which passed in 2019. Sen. Stewart also shares the latest on that bill and also talks about what she’s now focusing on from her place in the legislature—like changing that way we teach teachers from a university level.Additional Resources:New Mexico Senate Bill 398Mimi Stewart - TwitterPeople for Mimi Stewart - Facebook PageMimi Stewart - WebsiteAmerican Educator, Spring/Summer 1998National Conference of State Legislatures’ “No Time To Lose” ReportThe May Center for Learning - WebsiteQuote:“Think about how many young kids in school right now we are not reaching and that have that feeling that they're dumb and they can't get it. I had one kid say to me, Ms. Stewart, I think there's just a secret code. And I said to him, You are right. There is a secret code. It's called the alphabetic code, and you can learn that easily.” – Mimi Stewart, New Mexico State Senator, representing New Mexico’s District 17

Equal parts educational leader, educator, and life-long learner of reading science, Mitchell Brookins has leveraged his passion and dedication to affect change in the lives of the students and teachers he works with, as well as the many educators he has inspired online. In this episode, he opens up about the emotional journey he took—from realizing everything he’d been doing wasn’t working and that he’d never actually learned how to teach kids to read, to seeking out reading research and encountering the Science of Reading—a path that brought unparalleled transformation and success to his schools. Mitchell talks about how he is still learning  and keeping students at the forefront of what he does every day, ending on a powerful story of a student who changed his life forever.Additional Resources:The National Reading Panel Report: Practical Advice for TeachersMitchell Brookins - TwitterScanning Pens webinar: Learning to Read & How to Support Older LearnersFree Poster: Why are you thankful for literacy?Quotes: “My calling is so that children can one day stand on their own without scaffolds, that children will one day reap the benefits that literacy is liberty, that children will one day be able to teach someone else the power that only literacy can bring.” – Mitchell Brookins

Community and education activist Naomi Peña and clinical psychologist Dr. Akeela Azcuy knew that, as moms of struggling readers themselves, they had the opportunity to advocate for not only their own children but all children. These two leaders and changemakers founded Literacy Academy Collective with the goal of one day creating a stand-alone New York City public school devoted to educating children with language-based learning disabilities as well as struggling readers. In this episode, our guests share their own families’ experiences with dyslexia, how that impacted their activism, and how listeners at home can effect grassroots change in their own communities.Additional Resources:Literacy Academy Collective homepage “Parents play a major role in new dyslexia pilot program”—NY1“The rise and fall of vibes-based literacy”—The New Yorker“In the fight over how to teach reading, this guru makes a major retreat”—The New York TimesBecome an Amplify Tutor—Don’t miss this opportunity to make an impact in young readers' lives!Quotes:“Leaders tend to forget that you get more out of parents if you collaborate with them, if you're honest.” — Naomi Peña“With the level and degree of training, understanding, and privilege that I had, it was still – and still continues to be – an overwhelming battle to get your child the services that they need.” — Akeela Azcuy

As an educator, researcher, author, and leadership consultant—there is little within the education world that Doug Reeves has not done. Twice named to the Harvard University Distinguished Authors Series, Doug has written more than forty books and joins Susan to discuss one in particular—Building to Impact. Together they dive into what evidence-based implementation looks like including the importance of de-implementation. Doug provides tangible advice for educators on what success looks like, how to define it for your school, and the ways to make it happen by focusing on one thing at a time until it becomes part of your school’s culture.Show Notes:Building to Impact: The 5D Implementation Playbook for EducatorsFearless Schools: Building Trust and Resilience for Learning, Teaching, and Leading100-Day Leaders: Turning Short-Term Wins Into Long-Term Success in SchoolsDoug Reeves - HomepageCreative Leadership - WebsiteDoug Reeves - Twitter“The Engagement Illusion” by Doug ReevesWebinar: “Fearless Schools”Quotes:“When was the last time in education, anybody heard of de-implementation? All we do is pile one thing on top of another, on top of another, and then we don't then, then we wonder why it didn't work.” —Doug Reeves“If you're not gonna have deep implementation, which requires a level of focus and allocation of time and resources, then don't bother.” —Doug Reeves“You have to have a singular focus and, and it's gotta be sustained year after year after year until it becomes part of your culture.” —Doug Reeves“You have to distinguish between an initiative, something that is new, and culture, something that's part of what we do every day and that is embedded. That is more important.” —Doug Reeves“The problem is this. If you only look at the results, then you don't know what caused it. Somebody has to look at underlying causes.” —Doug Reeves“It's really important for administrators to say, hey, I can deal with some chaos. I can deal with students making mistakes. That's real learning.” —Doug ReevesEpisode Content Timestamps*1:00: Introduction: Who is Doug Reeves?3:00: Book Talk: 5D Implementation Playbook5:00: Implementation science8:00: Levels of implementation9:00: Focused implementation11:00: 5D Implementation: Discover13:00: Implementation specialist16:00: 5D Implementation: Double back17:00: 5D Implementation: Design19:00: De-implementation23:00: 5D Implementation: Delivery25:00: 5D Implementation: Double Up27:00: How to scale implementation29:00: Systematic implementation example: San Bernadino, CA32:00: Advice for administrators33:00: Book Talk: Fearless Schools, Building Trust and Resilience for Learning, Teaching, and Leading39:00: "It's all about the students": What does that mean to Doug Reeves?*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

In this episode, we dive deep into the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s report card. Chester Finn, Jr., author of the new book Assessing the Nation's Report Card: Challenges and Choices for NAEP, joins Susan to talk about the NAEP assessment. They discuss how the assessment works, what it is and isn’t, and what benefits and opportunities it provides as the achievement gap continues to grow.Show Notes:Assessing the Nation's Report Card: Challenges and Choices for NAEP by Chester Finn, Jr.Want to hang out with Susan and chat live about this episode of this podcast? Don’t miss our next “Off the Pod” FB live on our Community Facebook Group, where you can ask Susan your questions in real time!Also, join Susan on Sept. 26, as she kicks off a webinar series all about building a Science of Reading ecosystem. The first session will focus on demystifying the Science of Reading and MTSS. Additional resources:PolicyEd video: “Overhauling the Nation’s Report Card” | Perspectives on PolicyFlypaper: “Assessing the Nation’s Report Card: Challenges and choices for NAEP”Education Next piece: “It felt like guerrilla warfare”Webinar: What you may not know—but should—about the Nation's Report CardChester Finn bio at Thomas B. Fordham InstituteQuotes:“For this to work, we need both great teachers and great curricula.” —Chester Finn“The single most important thing NAEP cannot do [is that] it cannot in any definitive way explain why scores are what they are or are rising or falling.” —Chester FinnEpisode Content Timestamps*1:00: Introduction: Who is Chester E. Finn Jr.?2:00: The History of NAEP9:00: What is NAEP and how does it work?16:00: Long term assessment23:00: NAEP and achievement gaps26:00: Next step with NAEP29:00: State-level impact of NAEP results31:00: Why isn't education more front and center in policy today?34:00: Level of concern and literacy prognosis37:00: Limitation and opportunities around NAEP40:00: What does "It's all about the students" mean to Chester Finn?*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

In our kick-off episode for season six, host Susan Lambert is joined by podcast alum Margaret Goldberg, the co-founder of the Right to Read Project.  They discuss the new, animated Science of Reading series Brain Builders, and how this free tool can be shared directly with students and with their caregivers. Importantly, Margaret also elevates the need to focus on the comprehension strand of the Science of Reading.Show Notes: Right to Read ProjectBrain Builders animated videosBrain Builders: VIP launch partyKnowledge at the Center of English Language Arts Instruction by Gina Cerveti and Freddy HeibertQuotes: “We looked at Scarborough's Rope. If we're really focused just on word recognition, we're not going to get all of our kids to where they need and deserve to be." —  Margaret Goldberg“It's never too late to learn how to read. We can get you there.”   —  Margaret Goldberg

In this episode, Susan Lambert was joined by Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities presented when teaching multilingual learners how to read. Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan is a bilingual speech language pathologist and a certified academic language therapist. She is also the director of Valley Speech Language and Learning Center in Brownsville, Texas. On the podcast, she and Susan talked about how teachers can make connections between students’ home languages and English in order to celebrate their language and give them new tools to better understand English. She stressed the importance of teachers educating themselves on their students’ home languages so they can spot orthographic and phonological similarities and differences, and highlighted the importance of educator collaboration to drive student success.Show notes: Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction by Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-HaganPresentation: “Making Connections for Structured Literacy Instruction Among English Learners”Reading SOS special video series: Expert Answers to Family Questions About ReadingOnline book study of Literacy Foundations for English Learners By Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-HaganMylanguages.orgPodcast surveyQuotes:“The more we’re able to read, the more we’re able to learn.“          —Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan “Sometimes as teachers, we feel so overwhelmed with, Oh, I don't know that language. How in the world am I going to introduce a whole new thing? Instead we should be starting to understand connections.”        —Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan 

Dr. Nancy Nelson, assistant professor of special education at Boston University, discusses myths and misconceptions around RTI, MTSS, and assessment screening in reading and mathematics instruction. She highlights what tools need to be in place for the RTI system to be implemented well, her work on DIBELS®, and the importance of dyslexia screeners.Show notes: DIBELS® at the University of OregonPodcast SurveyQuotes:“Relying on data allows us to engage in a systematic process to implement systems to meet the needs of all kids.”           —Dr. Nancy Nelson