Teachers are Catching Up on Reading Science, Here's Where Families Fit in…

The RAND research organization provided me with some data that genuinely gives me hope: 74% of K-2 teachers received professional training in foundational reading skills during the 2023-24 school year. That's up significantly from just a few years ago.

Teachers are learning. Schools are shifting. The field is moving in the right direction.

And here's the honest reality: it takes time for new training to change what happens in every classroom, every day, for every child. Teachers are doing their best with large class sizes, limited planning time, and years of curriculum habits to unlearn. The shift is real, but it's not instant.

This is one of the most important moments for families to be engaged, not because schools are failing, but because the transition is still in progress. A child who needs support right now shouldn't have to wait for the system to finish catching up.

Community organizations like MMC Literacy Collective exist precisely for this gap. We can offer the kind of individualized, Science of Reading-aligned support that a classroom of 25 students makes difficult, even for the most dedicated teacher.

Think of it as a team effort. Your child's teacher is working hard (believe me, I know it!), the school system is evolving. And there's a place in that ecosystem for consistent, personalized support that keeps your child moving forward through the transition.

You are in the right place.

Rooting for your Dear Reader,

Megan