The Latest in Literacy, 3/14/26

Southern Surge replication speculation, grim national outcomes, Ed Tech backlash blooms, study confirms reading gains transfer to math, loads of brilliant literacy blogs, and more.

Thanks for reading this regular roundup, which got a lovely shout out from Dan Willingham this week! I’m trying to keep it free, yet I would appreciate your help spreading the word and building readership… I’ll keep publishing if folks keep reading. Please share with friends if you find it useful, please and thank you.

On Center Stage

Real Clear Investigations reports on the prospects of Southern Surge replication nationally. It’s insightful and sobering, in equal measure (hoo boy, that ExcelInEd stat).

Rick Hess sounds cautionary notes on the replication prospects, making many good points.

Gavin Newsom takes wobbly steps on literacy, as some ask whether he should focus more on education.

National Outcomes: Still Grim

We’re still seeing slow recovery in reading and math outcomes versus pre-pandemic.

A new NWEA report notes that reading is recovering more slowly than math.

Ed Tech Backlash Watch

A parent’s takedown of iReady Math was the viral article of the week, thanks to fierce social media reaction. Truly, this piece was everywhere. My vote for Essential Read of the Week.

Parent concern about Ed Tech made the New York Times.

I reminded everyone that Louisiana and Tennessee have reading outcome gains to show for low-tech curriculum.

Jon Haidt issued his second plea to get Ed Tech out of schools by September—and he was kind enough to boost my column above, on the role of curriculum in such shifts (!!).

Baltimore superintendent Sonja Santelises announced K-2 ed tech limits, and the internet cheered.

The Reading Implementation Wars

In EdWeek, Sarah Schwartz explored the question of the hour: “Are we overteaching phonics?” The opening sums up national discourse right now: a vague warning from Mark Seidenberg that we are overteaching phonics! A vague warning from the Reading League that even having this conversation is dangerous! Sigh. I’m renewing my efforts to get more into the “dosage” weeds, where we can actually help teachers.

Kirsten Chansky, a teacher who designed her own materials in order to make phonemic awareness instruction more intentional, penned a fabulous piece on her approach and her outcomes—a reminder that we’re still refining our way to the ideal materials.

The Literacy Zeitgeist

Long-term RCT shows that reading interventions transfer to math gains. “Improvements in reading achievement account for approximately 50% of the gains seen in later math scores.” Which helps explain why Southern Surge states all see math gains, alongside reading gains.

I love a good show-and-tell, and Kristen McQuillan really crystallizes the difference between text-centered and standards- or skill-centered instruction. Along the way, she makes a compelling case that the latter creates cognitive overload.

Vocabulary IS knowledge, as the latest Teach Like a Champion blog reminds us (brilliantly).

Lamentations R Us

Tim Daly laments that we’re asking less and less of students, and they are obliging. “Collectively, we’ve watered down the notion that it takes effort to succeed - that trying is a key part of a student’s job.” He proposes smart solutions.

Laura Burke laments that We Talk About Curriculum But Plan Activities. Amen.

Daisy Christodoulou laments The democratisation of cheating.

Freddie DeBoer laments the myth of halcyon days in American education that never existed, and reminds us that global schools are declining in performance, not just US schools. I’d co-sign Matt Yglesias’s rejoinder: “Sure, there was no utopian era of American education but it’s really true that ten years ago schools did a better job of teaching kids reading and math!”

Ban The Phones

“Study finds teens spend nearly one-third of the school day on smartphones, with frequent checking linked to poorer attention.” Egads.

Coming Attractions

On March 21, Read Washington hosts a conversation with Freddy Hiebert on ways that AI can support vocabulary development.

Learning and the Brain is live from New York and available virtually on April 16-18. Hear Dan Willingham, Natalie Wexler, Sarah Oberle, Leslie Laud, ++.

Mark your calendars for ResearchEd NYC on May 2nd.

ResearchEd St. Louis has been announced for September, and they are accepting speaker applications.

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Thanks for reading! Nominate a story for this newsletter here.

For Spring Break, this newsletter will take a hiatus. Instead, on Easter weekend, I’ll be resurrecting must-read favorites from the last few years. What’s the most essential literacy reading of this era? (And y’all, I already know about Sold a Story.) Nominate a story for the Throwback Newsletter here.