Featuring @chadaldeman.bsky.social @natwexler.bsky.social @carlhendrick.substack.com @dtwuva.bsky.social @gtoppo.bsky.social @dkthomp.bsky.social @weisenthal.bsky.social @hollykorbey.bsky.social @alexanderrusso.bsky.social ++

I wrote this list from memory, in 10 minutes. Which was easier than it sounds. I’ve shared each piece multiple times, with friends, journalists, & social airwaves, BC each serves as an excellent “explainer” for an important topic in K-12. www.karenvaites.org/p/the-articl...

We’re Ready to Break Up With iReady has become the most-read piece by the Curriculum Insight Project, by a large margin. I have feelings about this. On one hand, I’m thrilled! It’s a truly important piece, especially in light of iReady’s market share. Go Team. Still...

A reader described this newsletter as a “full meal deal of all the things.” Well, this week, it’s a seven-course belt-buster. www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

A must-read from @dtwuva.bsky.social and E.D. Hirsch: www.educationnext.org/rediscoverin...

If you are still catching up from last week's reading, I don't blame you. There were ten Literacy and Learning Science entries in last week's roundup... on top of the national movements and Ed Tech backlash-tracking. Education blogging is so back! open.substack.com/pub/karenvai...

My savvy teacher friends at the Curriculum Insight Project have a LOT to say about iReady. And they add an important instructional lens to today's national conversation about its shortcomings. Hear why they are Ready to Break Up With iReady: curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/were-ready...

Karen publishes this excellent summary of literacy debates and issues in the US weekly and it’s well worth a read. This week, there is a link to a piece I wrote for The Bell Ringer marking 20 years since the Rose Review.

Everyone's mulling legislation, strange bedfellows unite, and Literacy Substack is on fire. The Latest in Literacy is out, feat. @hollykorbey.bsky.social @markgoodrich.bsky.social @chadaldeman.bsky.social @natwexler.bsky.social @katonv.bsky.social +++ www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

I love when @chadaldeman.bsky.social publishes a piece that I have been writing in my head because it needs to be said. Please give this a read: open.substack.com/pub/aldemano...

So much to say about @natwexler.bsky.social's latest. For starters: the idea that TNTP, which historically led the field on high-quality instruction, is treating Benchmark Advance as a high-quality curriculum is its own story. 1/ nataliewexler.substack.com/p/most-strug...

A new RCT shows that reading gains transfer to math, which helps explain why Southern Surge states all see math gains. Plus: How does Vocabulary = Knowledge? Will the Southern Surge replicate? What’s new on the Ed Tech Backlash Watch? All this and more: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

Featuring @sarahschwartz.bsky.social @daisychristo.bsky.social @lrj417.bsky.social @sarahoberle.bsky.social @dtwuva.bsky.social @natwexler.bsky.social @timdaly.bsky.social @research-ed.bsky.social @mattyglesias.bsky.social @freddiedeboer.skystack.xyz +++

Speculations, lamentations, and many wise observations. This week's Latest in Literacy is out. www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

I was pleased to speak with Vince Bielski for his piece on the prospects of Southern Surge replication. His ExcelInEd "scorecard" for literacy reform might be the most important part. Great reading: www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/202...

Are schools overteaching phonics? EdWeek captures the debates to a T: www.edweek.org/teaching-lea... Mark Seidenberg pointing out that some schools are overdoing foundational skills. Reading League fearmongering that schools will drop phonics if we have this conversation. *Chef's Kiss*

Well this made my morning! Thank you @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social for sharing our 🚩 🚩 🚩 warning for district curriculum selection committees. Read it here: curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/to-future-...

Also featuring @katasolow.bsky.social @stephen-sawchuk.bsky.social @mattyglesias.bsky.social @didau.bsky.social

The Latest in Literacy is out. Feat. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social @katiecouric.bsky.social @americanprogress.bsky.social @chadaldeman.bsky.social @carlhendrick.substack.com @natwexler.bsky.social @natejoseph.bsky.social @suchmo83.bsky.social @clairecm.bsky.social www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

@carlhendrick.substack.com with a masterful synthesis of the recent discourse about reading comprehension. One of those Standing O, drop-everything-and-read it articles. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Olivia Mullins takes on the issues with a recent meta-analysis on reading comprehension. Knowledge is still plenty important to nurturing comprehension; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/dont-recon...

In each of my ‘Latest in Literacy’ newsletters, I’m always curious to see which link will get the most clicks. Last week, it was this one. Which I actually might have predicted, based on the field sentiments about iReady. Read the roundup here: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

The anti-Ed Tech and pro-book movements are gaining momentum, especially for elementary grades. Let's get the memo to the nation's curriculum selection committees, pronto. My latest: curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/to-future-...

Buckle up, folks. This was a helluva week. And all of this is really important. My latest: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

A teacher in NY developed a vocabulary supplement that's taking sharp teacher circles by storm. It's my honor to publish this piece by Sean Morrisey, spotlighting his work. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Holy moley, this disconnect. From @hollykorbey.bsky.social latest: open.substack.com/pub/hollykor...

Weekend reading, coming right up! Featuring @hollykorbey.bsky.social @katasolow.bsky.social @natwexler.bsky.social @natejoseph.bsky.social @chadaldeman.bsky.social and so many more. www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...

Everyone, and I mean everyone, is sweating state curriculum lists. How did we get here? What can we do about it? Tomorrow night at 7pm EST, @readingsimplified.bsky.social and I discuss! Join us. us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Do we need a new National Reading Panel? That idea was floated in last week’s Congressional hearings, and I’m not the only one who likes it. My own two cents, plus outtakes from the Congressional hearings, here: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-scienc...

Platform and algorithm shifts have made it hard to keep tabs on the conversation on literacy. I’m setting out to change that with a new regular roundup of literacy conversations. Think “Marshall Memo but for Literacy.” Read it and subscribe here: www.karenvaites.org/p/introducin...

What happened in this week’s Congressional hearings? And what do they portend? My latest: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-scienc...

If hypothetically you were going to publish a roundup of the best literacy reading in the last few weeks, what'd be in it? @mississippifreepress.org @tinaengberg.bsky.social @natwexler.bsky.social @natejoseph.bsky.social @patricebain.bsky.social @tombennett71.bsky.social @tiffanyphogan.bsky.social

"At the risk of simplifying complex problems, the answer is books." A line I wish I wrote, but it's actually Mary Katharine Ham in National Review, chonicling the disappointing shifts in US Ed... and noting the Southern Surge as an important counterpoint. www.nationalreview.com/magazine/202...

This is the consensus position, even among knowledge-building curriculum superfans: - Basically every ELA curriculum is a 'needs improvement' on early writing instruction - Everyone supplements Unfortunately, it's also insider knowledge. curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/what-about...

Head's up... @stevechiger.bsky.social @shannonsaglio.bsky.social @jillbarshay.bsky.social @mpolikoff.bsky.social @lrj417.bsky.social @callielowenstein.bsky.social @dtwuva.bsky.social @gaablab.bsky.social @gtoppo.bsky.social @guidingliteracy.bsky.social @rosehorowitch.bsky.social

Happening today: @hollylanephd.bsky.social and Alabama leaders talk Science of Reading with the appropriations committee. Link in my latest: www.karenvaites.org/p/congress-h... @missypurcell.bsky.social @hollykorbey.bsky.social @tinaengberg.bsky.social @stephen-sawchuk.bsky.social

Southern Surge, So Hot Right Now. @nickkristof.bsky.social has seen himself that Southern Surges build more trust than Mississippi Miracles. Also, I’m honored to help him debunk Mississippi naysayers. Fun to see him shouting out my humble Substack via his links. 😊 www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...

I wanted to quote half of this piece from @carlhendrick.substack.com, a must-read for anyone who cares about learning and curriculum design. Two highlights here... Go read this! substack.com/home/post/p-...

Prior to Jan, 2025, schools & churches were on a list of "sensitive areas" off-limits for immigration enforcement. DHS changed policy, which is why we see controversial actions today. Naaz Modan is tracking the activities on school grounds: www.k12dive.com/news/ice-act...

You guys, there’s A LOT GOING ON IN LITERACY. Upcoming Congressional 'Science of Reading' hearing on Tuesday, feat. Holly Lane + Alabama leaders. Last week, MA embraced ELA curriculum mandates. Soon, book mandates are coming to TX. Whew! A quick primer: substack.com/@karenvaites...

Studies on Phonemic Awareness consistently point in the same direction: Oral-only isn't as effective as PA with letters. Why is ChatGPT telling me otherwise? My latest: www.karenvaites.org/p/misconcept...

Wowza. In just two days, this has become the most-read column published by the Curriculum Insight Project. This topic seems like inside baseball for literacy folks. But it's really quite consequential. curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/educators-...

Add this from @karenvaites.bsky.social to the pile of “don’t use LLMs to accurately answer difficult questions” research. Interesting topic although not something which has affected us in the same way in the UK. open.substack.com/pub/karenvai...

Cautionary Tale Alert: In the ‘Science of Reading’ era, educators were sold a story about phonemic awareness, turning a little-known product into the most-used curriculum in the US. How'd this happen? My latest: substack.com/home/post/p-...

Kelsey Piper had me at the headline, “Teaching kids to read isn’t just phonics.” I love seeing the importance of background knowledge and text-rich instruction get its due. Great read: @natwexler.bsky.social @katasolow.bsky.social @missypurcell.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/theargum...

Well, this is messed up. I know many of you have left Twitter BC Things Changed. I respct your reasons, but it’s still the public square, and i am glad to still have a voice there. Join me if it suits you. These are troubling times, and that platform maintains influence. x.com/karenvaites/... t

When it comes to explaining the shortcomings of basals, a picture is worth a thousand words. Laura Patranella explores a lesson from Into Reading for a window into the concerns. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Massachusetts is poised to implement curriculum mandates, as legislation advances in the Senate. Michigan wants to follow. Should we boost these efforts or pump the brakes? New from me: www.karenvaites.org/p/curriculum...

‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it… www.economist.com/united-state...

Laura Patranella shows how passage-and-excerpt heavy curriculum shortchange knowledge-building and text clarity. It’s an excellent window into the unfortunate nature of passage popcorn curricula. open.substack.com/pub/itseleme...