The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee would like to invite members to join in on a podcast discussion surrounding the new podcast, Sold a Story. Discussions will be held Jan. 13 and Feb. 3 at 7 pm on Zoom.

The Sold a Story podcast tells the story of an idea about how children learn to read that's held sway in schools for more than a generation — even though it was proven wrong by cognitive scientists decades ago. In this podcast, host Emily Hanford investigates the influential authors who promoted this idea and the company that sells their work. It's an exposé of how educators were misled, flawed curriculum came to permeate our schools, and the result, generations of children have not experienced literacy success.

Across the nation, over 66% of children in the U.S. are not reading proficiently, according to NAEP data. The statistics are even grimmer when broken down by SES, race/ethnicity, and disability status. 79% of low-income students, 82% of Black students, and 77% of Hispanic students are not on track for reading by fourth grade. In Ohio, fewer than one-third of students with disabilities are proficient on the ELA assessment. 

The DEI committee promotes social justice within our schools and professional practice. Every child has a right to read and deserves the opportunity to participate in and benefit from school programs, including their Tier 1 curriculum. Please join the DEI committee in this two-part discussion focused on how school psychologists can leverage the information and research discussed in the podcast to cultivate equitable school climates and instructional systems for ALL learners. The first discussion will reflect on episodes 1 through 3, and the second will dissect episodes 4-6.

CLICK HERE to sign up!