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«Back to all edWebinarsThe Cost of Getting Literacy Wrong: Long-Term Decisions, Lasting Consequences
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
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
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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:
- Aligned professional learning and high-quality materials
- Caring educators who support struggling readers
- Strong feedback loops that show whether instruction is working
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.
About the Presenters
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 co-chairs the Board of Directors at the Center for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) and served as Founding Chair of the Industry Council for the EdSAFE AI Alliance.
About the Moderator
Dr. Donna Wright has served in many roles in her 40-plus-year career as an educator. She has positively influenced the educational field as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, deputy director, and school superintendent. Dr. Wright earned her doctorate in leadership studies from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She has been published in numerous educational journals, invited to present at national and state conferences, and has served as an adjunct professor at various institutions of higher learning. Although Dr. Wright recently retired from K-12 public education, she continues to support and consult with colleagues and school districts around the country. Currently, she serves as the AASA Lead Superintendent, directing the National Women’s Leadership Consortium, and collaborates with public school districts around the country.
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Really Great Reading has been leading the charge in effective Science of Reading strategies for over 18 years with our proven PK-12 curriculum in foundational literacy and intervention teaching methodologies. We turn reading research into classroom practice, ensuring teachers have cutting-edge strategies and tools in classrooms across the country. It is our unwavering commitment to students and educators that sets us apart from other Science of Reading curricula, and this is evident in the student outcomes and results that districts and schools see when using our products.
