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

• Education Week (2026): $2.5B teacher prep proposal
• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

Science of Reading

• National Reading Panel (2000)
• Reading Universe — Ten Maxims
• International Dyslexia Association

National Reporting

• Sold a Story — Emily Hanford

Kansas Context

• Kansas State Department of Education
• Kansas House Bill 2322 (2023)

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Because change doesn’t start in systems— it starts with awareness.