Why Missouri Needs Early Literacy Reform with Cory Koedel and Avery Frank

Education |

Susan Pendergrass is joined by Cory Koedel, director of education policy at the Show-Me Institute, and Avery Frank, policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute, to discuss Missouri’s early literacy crisis. They walk through the need for a universal reading screener, the evidence behind third grade retention, why banning three cueing matters, how teacher preparation programs must change to align with the science of reading, what successful states like Mississippi have done, what Missouri’s current laws get wrong, and more.

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Timestamps

00:00 The Literacy Crisis in Missouri
04:42 Strategies for Improvement
09:37 The Role of Testing and Accountability
14:21 Retention Policies and Their Impact
19:08 Legislative Solutions and Future Prospects

Produced by Show-Me Opportunity

Susan Pendergrass

About the Author

Before joining the Show-Me Institute, Susan Pendergrass was Vice President of Research and Evaluation for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, where she oversaw data collection and analysis and carried out a rigorous research program. Susan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, with a concentration in Finance, at the University of Colorado in 1983. She earned her Masters in Business Administration at George Washington University, with a concentration in Finance (1992) and a doctorate in public policy from George Mason University, with a concentration in social policy (2002). Susan began researching charter schools with her dissertation on the competitive effects of Massachusetts charter schools. Since then, she has conducted numerous studies on the fiscal impact of school choice legislation. Susan has also taught quantitative methods courses at the Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies, at Johns Hopkins University, and at the School of Public Policy at George Mason University. Prior to coming to the National Alliance, Susan was a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education during the Bush administration and a senior research scientist at the National Center for Education Statistics during the Obama administration.
Cory Koedel

About the Author

Cory Koedel is a tenured professor of economics and public policy at the University of Missouri-Columbia. His research focuses broadly on the economics of education, and he has spent more than 20 years studying ways to improve school performance. Dr. Koedel’s work has been published in top peer-reviewed academic journals in the fields of economics, public policy, and education, and he has presented his research widely at national conferences, think tanks, and academic institutions. He currently sits on the editorial boards for three academic journals: Education Finance and Policy, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, and Research in Higher Education. Additionally, Dr. Koedel has contributed his expertise as a member of advisory boards and review panels for numerous school districts, state and federal agencies, and non-profit organizations. His significant contributions to the field have been recognized through several honors, including the 2008 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the American Educational Research Association (Division L) and the 2012 Junior Scholar Award from the same organization. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and history in 2000 and his PhD in economics in 2007, both from the University of California, San Diego.
Avery Frank

About the Author

Avery Frank earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics (with honors) and political science from Sewanee: University of the South in 2022. He also studied at the London School of Economics in 2021 and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Societies. His research interests include education policy and energy policy.

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