Beyond engagement: Why literacy must be about more than test scores
Beyond engagement: Why literacy must be about more than test scores
August 25, 2026
There was a moment during a school visit in Barbados that has stayed with me, since it carries an important lesson related to literacy and student engagement. I had spent less than an hour working with a group [...]
Authentic books for students: Celebrating 40 years of Accelerated Reader
Authentic books for students: Celebrating 40 years of Accelerated Reader
August 7, 2026
Over the last four decades, Accelerated Reader has become one of the most widely used reading programs in K–12 schools. Clearly, a lot has changed over the years—in education, in publishing, and in technology. Yet [...]
5 key points for educators about curriculum-based measurement
5 key points for educators about curriculum-based measurement
July 28, 2026
When we first began working with curriculum-based measurement, or CBM, decades ago as school psychologists, we were drawn to its practicality. CBM was originally developed by Stan Deno and colleagues in the 1970s to help educators answer a question [...]
The top proven reading comprehension strategies for educators
The top proven reading comprehension strategies for educators
July 23, 2026
As educators, we want our students to develop a lifelong love of reading. However, that is no small feat given the complexities of literacy development. From day one of school, we begin to focus on five key pillars: phonemic [...]
AI for schools: How human-centered tools increase instructional impact
AI for schools: How human-centered tools increase instructional impact
July 8, 2026
When I meet with school and district leaders, I receive a lot of questions about AI tools and the best use of AI in education. While many K–12 leaders are justifiably reluctant to allow AI chatbots to interact [...]
Federal education funding explained: What K–12 leaders need to know
Federal education funding explained: What K–12 leaders need to know
June 25, 2026
Federal education funding accounts for roughly 13% of K–12 school budgets—but those dollars are among the most critical for supporting students who need it most. For the 2026–27 school year, funding levels have largely held steady, and new statutory language now [...]
AI in the classroom: How learning science powers Renaissance Intelligence
AI in the classroom: How learning science powers Renaissance Intelligence
June 8, 2026
The best AI for classrooms isn’t built on general-purpose language models—it’s built on decades of education-specific research. Renaissance Intelligence combines adaptive AI with more than 20 years of learning science to give teachers real-time, actionable insights [...]
In response to: Misunderstanding student reading levels
In response to: Misunderstanding student reading levels
April 27, 2026
Let me begin with a straightforward statement: Students’ independent reading is quite different from their instructional reading. One is undertaken alone while the other occurs under the guidance, scaffolding, and support of a teacher. I begin with this [...]
Solving education’s coherence problem: Insights for school and district leaders
Solving education’s coherence problem: Insights for school and district leaders
March 24, 2026
Instructional coherence in education has a lot in common with the concept of harmony. Even without formal musical training, we all perceive harmony. Similarly, we also perceive its opposite, dissonance— when musical notes seem [...]
