Dr. Lisa Coons

Are schools overteaching phonics? This piece from @s_e_schwartz captures the debates within Science of Reading communities to a T. @markseidenberg pointing out that some schools are overdoing foundational skills instruction. The Reading League essentially fearmongering that schools will drop phonics if we talk about it.

A teacher in NY developed a vocabulary supplement that's taking sharp teacher circles by storm. It's my honor to publish this piece by @smorrisey, spotlighting his work. I don't say that lightly. Sean has been hustling to develop expertly-crafted materials to teach vocabulary, and he is showing up every curriculum developer in America. I'm honored to bring the Word Mapping Project to a wider audience. You'll also hear reflections from the @CurriculumIP team. Come for Sean's instructionally-efficient design, stay for his outcomes, which are now being replicated by teachers like @mommagordon2 @SamanthaBrauns2.

❄️Wishing you a winter break as warm and bright as the infinite impact you’ve made so far this year. We’ll see you in 2026. ☃️

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holidays!

🥳 These kindergarteners at Acadian Elementary are jumping for joy at reaching their Zearn lesson goals! 👏⭐️ @TerrParSchools @DOELouisiana

We want to honor the life and legacy of Governor James B. Hunt, Jr.—our founder, mentor, and guiding force. Governor Hunt believed that education was not just a policy priority, but a moral imperative. His leadership, vision, and lifelong commitment to students continue to shape leaders, policies, and communities across the country. Read our full statement celebrating Governor Hunt’s extraordinary life and enduring impact: hunt-institute.org/news/statement…

Governor Hunt believed deeply in the power of education to bring people together and move our country forward. His vision shaped generations of leaders and laid the foundation for the work we continue every day at The Hunt Institute. We are profoundly grateful for his life, leadership, and lasting impact.

.@AInfanteGreen @GovDanMckee @ellenfored @jlmichael @cristinevaughan @GovofCO @NatlGovsAssoc @StephenMoret @Pulsipher_WGU @jwestanderson @SCASAnews @NCSLorg @OH_DeansCompact @TrendingInEd @lisacoons10 (3/3)

Thank you for sharing this beautiful message President!

Pray. 🙏

@karenvaites @SchwinnTeach Thank you for elevating the importance of leadership. We are at a critical crossroads and systematic implementation, structures and support need strong leadership to anchor change into the fabric of classroom practice.

@karenvaites @SchwinnTeach I want to give the TN Commissioner honor to @SchwinnTeach . I was her CAO during the TN work and was state supt in VA.

Former Tennessee commissioner @lisacoons10 calls leadership the lynchpin of Science of Reading reform. She would know. Her WonkaThon entry, which touches on her work in TN with @SchwinnTeach as well as efforts in LA & MS, closes with 3 key questions: – Who’s going to create a statewide movement and how will a strong and comprehensive implementation drive change in the classroom? – Whose will track its progress and hold the system accountable to sustainable change? – Who’s going to spark a revolution that empowers teacher to use a comprehensive science of reading approach to change student outcomes? Good questions. @educationgadfly @MichaelPetrilli @Kunjan19

These Southern Surge states offer important evidence that curriculum can be a catalyst for better reading outcomes, and that knowledge-lite, ‘passage popcorn’ curriculum is a problem. Of course there is more to the work In these states, but the curriculum layer compels attention. Link: karenvaites.org/p/how-book-ric… Feat. @SchwinnTeach @lisacoons10 @SupeJohnWhite @kellibottger @whealdon @KnowledgeMatrs plus @cadebrumley's latest press release, hot off the presses.

The case for curriculum-centered* reform in a stat. This is truly unprecedented, and it happened because @SchwinnTeach @lisacoons10 and team did everything right: - Strong curriculum list - "Shoulder partner" work with districts to support smart curriculum selections and plans for paired training - Developed communities of practice to foster cross-district collaboration - Layered on SOR teacher training to bolster the messages, training >90% of elementary teachers in two summers A model to study, for sure. * note to readers, curriculum-centered reading reform always includes multi-year professional learning. Always.

Teachers found this approach powerful- thank you for elevating!

Impressive student outcomes for the first year of ELN students; great work Hunt. I am looking g forward to seeing next year’s results!

When educators have the right tools, every student can succeed. In Virginia, 30 schools came together through the English Learner Network to improve literacy outcomes for multilingual learners and saw significant gains in student achievement. Proud that The Hunt Institute helped convene this effort and connect schools with the expertise and support they needed to make a difference. Read more from @Hunt_Institute's @jaalil_hart on what collaboration can achieve: hunt-institute.org/resources/2025…

This is what’s so exciting about the Tennessee story. Incredibly high positives on their homegrown teacher training. 96% of teachers reporting use of their district curriculum. @SchwinnTeach @lisacoons10 and their team did such important work, and they did it with intentional efforts to be “shoulder partners” to districts… warm demanders with district leaders. I’m writing more about it soon. Screenshots from: karenvaites.org/p/the-southern…