Host Dr. Erin Bailey talks with Dr. Elena Forzani, a Boston University literacy researcher, about the evolving landscape of reading assessment and equity. Dr. Forzani shares her journey from first-grade teacher to assessment specialist, sparked by disillusionment with teaching-to-the-test practices. She discusses her work on the 2026 NAEP reading framework and explains how this "low-stakes" national assessment differs from high-stakes state tests. The conversation explores culturally responsive assessment—ensuring diverse populations are represented at the table from the start—and the challenges of accounting for students' varied background knowledge. Dr. Forzani also addresses digital literacy in an age of algorithms and AI, emphasizing that students need critical evaluation skills more than ever. The episode concludes with her reflections on how reading inspires connection, transports us to different worlds, and builds community through shared book recommendations.

About Dr. Elena Forzani:
Dr. Elena Forzani is director of the Literacy Education and Reading & Literacies Education programs and an assistant professor at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Dr. Forzani’s research centers on using multiple and mixed methods to understand and support digital literacies practices across the elementary and secondary levels. In particular, her work investigates the cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational dimensions of online reading, and especially how readers evaluate the credibility of online information. Through this work, Dr. Forzani seeks to inform the design of equity-oriented instruction and assessment environments.

Dr. Forzani was the assistant research director for PIRLS and ePIRLS, international print and digital reading assessments. She is a former first grade and high school English and reading teacher, as well as a former literacy specialist. Her scholarship has been published in multiple researcher and practitioner journals, including Reading Research Quarterly, Computers in Human Behavior, Computers & Education Open, The Reading Teacher, and The Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Dr. Forzani currently serves on the NAEP Standing Reading Committee.

LinkedIn: Elena Forzani | LinkedIn

Toward a Theory of Socioculturally Responsive Assessment (Bennett, 2023): Full article: Toward a Theory of Socioculturally Responsive Assessment

Book Recommendations from Dr. Forzani:
Borders (Story by Thomas King; illustrations by Natasha Donovan): Borders: King, Thomas, Donovan, Natasha: 9780316593052: Amazon.com: Books
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker: Amazon.com: All the Colors of the Dark: A Read with Jenna Pick: 9780593798898: Whitaker, Chris: Books
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel: Wolf Hall (Wolf Hall Trilogy, 1): Mantel, Hilary: 9781250806710: Amazon.com: Books