Author Archives: Miles Hawthorne

As of October 20, 2026, federal literacy funding is no longer an abstract budget phrase for schools, teacher preparation programs, and families. It has shaped grant decisions, teacher-training debates, and local reading plans during a year when communities continue to ask a practical question: which investments are most likely to help children become stronger readers?

In Fiscal Year 2026, the U.S. Department of Education and interagency partners reported more than … Read the rest

IDEA Literacy Progress deserves a careful look because the recent data tells two truths at once: students with disabilities have shown measurable reading gains in some national results, and large reading gaps remain. Families, teachers, and community partners can use both truths well. Progress should encourage us, while the remaining gaps should keep attention on clear instruction, strong IEP goals, and steady reading routines at home and school.

As a … Read the rest

Reading Specialists belong at the center of serious literacy improvement plans because many students need more than general classroom instruction to rebuild reading confidence and skill. The 2024 NAEP reading results gave families, teachers, and school boards a sober benchmark: national reading performance remained weak across key grades, and the need for targeted school support was clear.

The phrase “Literacy Improvement for Transformation Act” suggests a policy effort aimed at … Read the rest

NWEA Reading Scores give families and schools a cautiously hopeful signal as of October 10, 2026: K-8 reading improved from Spring 2025 to Spring 2026, but recovery is not finished. For parents, teachers, tutors, and community volunteers, the useful question is not whether one report solves the reading challenge. The useful question is how to turn better data into steadier reading practice for children who still need time, instruction, and … Read the rest

Philadelphia adult literacy is not a side issue for schools, employers, libraries, or families. It affects how adults read workplace forms, help children with homework, use health information, prepare for a high school equivalency credential, and take part in civic life. Beyond Literacy, often called BeLit, is one of the better-known providers in this local effort, serving about 2,000 adult learners each year through English instruction, GED preparation, tutoring, family … Read the rest

Evidence-Based Literacy Grants can give schools and communities a practical way to strengthen K-12 reading, but the money works best when it is connected to clear instruction, thoughtful educator learning, and steady family communication. As a literacy coach, I look at these grants less as a single fix and more as a structure for making better reading decisions over time.

Federal literacy funding reaches schools through several channels. The research … Read the rest

Augusta Literacy Gains in the 2025-2026 school year gave families, educators, and community partners a useful set of local reading measures to study. During that school year, the Community Foundation for the CSRA invested more than $250,000 in its Literacy Initiative, which supported programs reaching more than 1,200 children in the Augusta and broader CSRA region. Those figures do not prove that one program alone caused every reading improvement, but … Read the rest

Building Strong Readers became a clear federal signal on September 9, 2026: reading instruction, early intervention, and local literacy systems were treated as urgent education priorities, not side projects. The U.S. Department of Education announcement stated that nearly 70% of U.S. fourth- and eighth-graders could not read proficiently and that twelfth graders had the lowest reading scores ever recorded as of that date, according to the federal literacy announcement.… Read the rest

Reading Recovery remains one of the better-known early literacy interventions used with first-grade students who need intensive reading and writing support. For families and school communities, the most useful question is not whether one program can solve every reading concern. The better question is what the evidence shows, where the evidence is limited, and how schools can use short-term intervention data alongside broader K-4 literacy measures.

As a literacy coach, … Read the rest