The Cost of Getting Literacy Wrong: Long-Term Decisions, Lasting Consequences

Presented by Dr. Charles Hulme, Emeritus Professor of Psychology in Education, University of Oxford, and Founder and CEO, OxEd & Assessment; Emily Rennpage, Literacy COSA (Coach on Special Assignment), Grosse Pointe Public Schools (MI); and Karl Rectanus, CEO, Really Great Reading Moderated by Dr. Donna Wright, Retired School Superintendent/Education Consultant Sponsored by Really Great Reading Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features. Literacy remains one of the most urgent challenges facing districts today. While many schools are investing in curricula and intervention, the real question is not how we achieve isolated gains. The question is how we scale literacy outcomes across entire systems. This edLeader Panel examines three elements that consistently drive reading success: District examples highlight how leaders align instruction, foundational skill building, like strengthening word recognition through oral language development, and use evidence to guide the purchasing and implementation decisions that drive outcomes. When literacy improves, performance across all subjects improves with it. This conversation focuses on the leadership decisions that make that possible. This edLeader Panel will be of interest to K-12 teachers, school leaders, district leaders, and education technology leaders. Dr. Charles Hulme is Emeritus Professor of Psychology in Education at the University of Oxford and Professor of Psychology at Oxford Brookes University. He was formerly Professor of Psychology and Education in the Department of Education and William Golding Senior Research Fellow at Brasenose College, University of Oxford. Dr. Hulme is an expert on reading, language, and memory processes and their development. He has developed a number of effective language and reading interventions. Dr. Hulme is a Fellow of the British Academy, Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and Fellow of Academia Europaea. He has received numerous awards for his research, including the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (2019), and is ranked one of the top psychology scientists in the world (2023). Emily Rennpage is a literacy leader for Grosse Pointe Public Schools, where she oversees the districtwide implementation of evidence-based practices for grades PreK–5. As a dedicated Literacy Coach, she drives instructional excellence through professional development in RGR, explicit instruction, MTSS initiatives, and dyslexia awareness. In her current role, she partners with educators to strengthen these foundational methods and ensure equitable literacy outcomes for every student. Karl Rectanus is CEO of Really Great Reading (RGR), an impact-focused leader driving measurable literacy outcomes for all students. A serial entrepreneur, he previously co-founded and led LearnPlatform, pioneering rapid-cycle evaluation and evidence-based decision-making in K-12 education. Karl also c