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Karen Vaites

@karenvaites.bsky.social
392 followers 192 following 771 posts

I want excellent schools for all kids, and I write about literacy, math, curriculum, & trends in K-12 Ed. Founder, Curriculum Insight Project. Words at karenvaites.org.

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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Parents maybe waking up to the reality of grade inflation. Great reporting with lots of eye-openers from @lrj417.bsky.social, featuring @mpolikoff.bsky.social: www.the74million.org/article/pare...
the74million.org
Parents Are Beginning to Grasp the Reality of Grade Inflation, New Data Shows
Grades can give the false impression that students are on track. A Learning Heroes survey suggests parents are beginning to question what schools tell them.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Ditto! I'm seeing a lot of online discourse; hard to know how quickly it will translate into change. Here's the curriculum-focused Substack: curriculuminsightproject.substack.com
curriculuminsightproject.substack.com
The Curriculum Insight Project | Substack
A collaborative effort to illuminate the K-12 curriculum landscape for educators & advocates. We get into the important weeds for popular and emerging programs. Click to read The Curriculum Insight Pr...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Anyone know good podcast editor/producers for a not-too-fancy new podcast? I've been talking about the need for a science of reading/science of learning podcast for a while, and it's feeling more and more necessary.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
New from Claude Goldenberg: the Road to Reading for English Learners. I’m a fan. More here: claudegoldenberg.substack.com/p/the-road-t...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
RIP, Book Lady. 'Of all her work, Dolly named Imagination Library the thing she was most proud of. “My dad couldn't read or write and that was kind of crippling to him,” she said in her 2020 documentary The Library That Dolly Built.' www.townandcountrymag.com/society/mone...
townandcountrymag.com
The One Thing Dolly Parton Wanted To Be Remembered For
The country music legend’s Imagination Library gives free books to more than 3 million children around the world every month.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Legend
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
New study attempts to move beyond correlation in understanding the impact of social media on learning. Spoiler: it appears to cause learning decline. Via @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social: www.afterbabel.com/p/does-early...
afterbabel.com
Does Early Access to Social Media Harm Later Learning? New Evidence from Italy
Students who got social media accounts by age 12 progressed less than those who waited until age 14
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
This one hits like a gut punch: Austin Sarat, my favorite college professor, pens a fierce OpEd on Amherst College students’ inability to read challenging texts. He rightly pins blame on “a K-12 system that has quietly stopped asking them to finish books at all.” fortune.com/2026/07/26/w...
fortune.com
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book | Fortune
I assume students will do the reading of long, dense texts, week after week. Lately, that assumption has started to feel naive.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Early reading progress stalls for K-2 learners. Alt Caption: Policy is not progress.'Science of Reading' reforms are underway in 50 states. They are not consistently translating to reading gains. www.k12dive.com/news/reading...
k12dive.com
Reading progress has stalled for youngest learners, DIBELS tests show
This is the first time since the 2020–21 school year that early reading readiness has failed to improve year over year, according to test-provider Amplify.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Me when you call yourself as a literacy person, but promote curriculum without whole books in English Language Arts
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Meet California's provisional curriculum list: short on book-rich options, heavy on tech-delivered options. I’ve already heard from parent groups with concerns about both of those details. See the full list here: www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/im/ela...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
The House Appropriations Committee has put National Reading Panel, the Sequel IN THE BUDGET, to my great delight. I've advocated for a new NRP specifically to address today's most animating questions... 1/
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
“We are admitting a cohort that cannot read at a college level and are pretending otherwise.” Another college professor adds to the chorus of concern about student capacity. archive.ph/XvPXE#select...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
A teacher’s closing line sums it up: Students need enough knowledge to call BS… on a faulty idea, weak Google search result, or a poor or glitchy AI output. Great read from @mattbarnum.bsky.social: www.chalkbeat.org/2026/05/28/a...
chalkbeat.org
Does AI mean basic facts are less important for students to learn?
Experts say that critical thinking still rests on a broad base of knowledge.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
The latest sign that the Ed Tech Backlash is the new normal: @rweingarten.bsky.social backs elementary screen time limits. 👏 www.nbcnews.com/news/educati...
nbcnews.com
Teachers union president calls for limits on AI and screen time in schools
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, is backing a parent-led movement to restrict how much time elementary school students spend on laptops in class.
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Reposted by Karen Vaites
Sarah Montana @smontana.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Been working through this list and highly recommended reading on curriculum, ed tech, and beyond.
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Reposted by Karen Vaites
Alex Quigley @alexjquigley.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
'Every hour counts: Daycares track conversations to boost language skills' "“It’s making it more literacy rich for children, gets their minds thinking, exposing them to that critical thinking, that back and forth."" Via @karenvaites.bsky.social www.yahoo.com/news/article...
yahoo.com
‘Every hour counts’: Daycares track conversations to boost language skills
Once a week, children at First Academy Preschool in Leesburg wear purple vests equipped with electronic devices that work like fitness bracelets. But instead of steps, these devices track the number o...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
"When it comes to iReady, we have a district administrator knowledge issue. It is as simple as that." Multiple teachers are collaborating this weekend on the latest iReady post for the Curriculum Insight Project. This comment about the role of admins speaks for all of them.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Day care centers are tracking conversational turns to promote oral language development. <swoon> www.yahoo.com/news/article...
yahoo.com
‘Every hour counts’: Daycares track conversations to boost language skills
Once a week, children at First Academy Preschool in Leesburg wear purple vests equipped with electronic devices that work like fitness bracelets. But instead of steps, these devices track the number o...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
I'd like your feedback on an important question. Somehow, US educators are getting the impression that students should only work with decodable texts (or listen to read alouds) until they have learned all letter-sound correspondences. 1/
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Weekend catch-up reading... Get your weekend catch-up reading!!! This week's dense roundup surely has something you missed: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
When I tell you I have this conversation every single day, multiple times, with people across the country, I'm not exaggerating. Related: the misconception that K-2 students should only read from decodable books has gotta be debunked. scienceofreadingclassroom.substack.com/p/partner-re...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
In its recent report, RAND noted the prevalence of classrooms with few whole books, and called for more research into the value of books in curriculum. Me: Hard Pass. We have all the research we need… we've just forgotten about it. More: curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/unpacking-...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
The literacy discourse is Overwhelming Like Maycember. My latest collection is out: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...
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Reposted by Karen Vaites
Mark Goodrich @markgoodrich.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Since writing this, @karenvaites.bsky.social has written a more comprehensive (and scathing) review of the RAND report. Well worth a read. open.substack.com/pub/curricul...
open.substack.com
Unpacking the RAND survey on books in English Language Arts curriculum
Book-starved and book-rich ELA classrooms can both be found in American schools. Predictably, curriculum is an essential influence.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
The important new RAND survey has good news, bad news, and confusing signals about books in American ELA classrooms. We should spend time with this one. My latest: curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/unpacking-...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
'Rocio Rivas, the school board’s VP, said at an April 21 board meeting that she spoke to district educators about i-Ready, and “I have yet to hear a positive comment.” Dozens of parents burst into applause in response.' Tyler Kingkade on the iReady backlash. www.nbcnews.com/news/educati...
nbcnews.com
The revolt against i-Ready: Private equity-backed software faces parent, teacher and student fury
A growing number of families and educators say they’re fed up with i-Ready’s personalized math and reading lessons, which feature repetitive cartoons and slow voice-overs.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
This week's absolute must-read, via @eheubeck.bsky.social: EdWeek covers essential questions of phonics versus oral language and vocabulary dosage. www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...
edweek.org
What Might Matter More Than Phonics in Early Literacy
A district invested in evidence-based literacy instruction but reaped uneven results. Here's why.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Welcome to the Balanced Literacy fallout. My daughter is an 8th grader in a loyal TCRWP district. This summer, the middle school team got together to create a grammar intervention, because student writing skills were raising alarms.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Happy Mother’s Day to Tiger Moms, Beta Moms, all the moms. “Paradoxically, the social pressure to overachieve as a parent only seems to intensify with mothers’ increased participation in the labor market…” www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...
wsj.com
The Era of the Tiger Mom Is Over. Enter the Beta Mom.
For decades, high achieving mothers felt pressure to optimize their children for success. These moms have had enough.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, let's embrace cell phone bans to make teaching more satisfying, pay our best teachers more, and put research front and center. The Latest in Literacy is out: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
The inimitable @carlhendrick.substack.com takes a measured look at short-form video as a learning tool, giving a fair shake to its potential advantages (ex. motivating learners about a new topics). Still, it’s primarily a cautionary signal. This section, whew. substack.com/home/post/p-...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Honestly, I can hardly keep up with the Ed Tech Backlash. Still, my weekly roundup has been taking a crack at it. Catch last week's jam-packed edition before this week's installment drops. www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
What If Ed Tech Peaked 200 Years Ago? @timdaly.bsky.social makes a solid case for the chalkboard and McGuffey readers as the OG force multipliers in education. www.educationdaly.us/p/what-if-pe...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
What if states get prescriptive about curriculum... and get it wrong? Thank you @michaelpetrilli.bsky.social for asking this elephant-in-the-room Q. Read it all: schooledbymikepetrilli.substack.com/p/pondiscio-...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
'Today American children have become “the fussiest eaters in history”. In a new book, Helen Zoe Veit... decries changes in adults’ behaviour and thinking over the past century that “allowed picky eating to hijack American childhood”.' @economist.com comes for modern parenting:
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
< cringing smile emoji >
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Knowledge-Building Curriculum, Project-Based Learning, Social-Emotional Learning
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Cueing and Math Wars and Standards, oh my! You can't keep up with the Ed Tech backlash, but maybe you can get through the literacy reads. Godspeed! The Latest in Literacy is out. www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
There is nothing like ResearchEd New York City
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Reposted by Karen Vaites
Cara Jackson @carajackson.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Check out the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting resources here! obc.southerneducation.org/resources/
obc.southerneducation.org
Resources Archive - The Center for Outcomes Based Contracting
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
At ResearchEd NYC, @carajackson.bsky.social explains outcomes-based contracting to an audience of evidence-minded educators.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Everyone's talking about the new Fordham report. Including me. My latest: @michaelpetrilli.bsky.social www.karenvaites.org/p/the-new-fo...
karenvaites.org
The New Fordham Report is Exhibit #729 for 'Policy is Not Progress'
States need to get their act together on state lists, and other lessons from an important new progress report.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
This issue earned all kinds of attention in other spaces. Crickets here. Which makes me wonder… What would it take to spark more literacy discourse here? open.substack.com/pub/curricul...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
I also find the Ed Tech backlash to be moving incredibly swiftly. @jcarreo22.bsky.social is a good follow on the parent advocacy front.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” - Ray Bradbury curriculuminsightproject.substack.com/p/literacy-i...
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Happy Milestone Monday to my favorite group passion project. 🥳
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
I really can't believe this needs to be written. But here we are.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Featuring @natwexler.bsky.social @suchmo83.bsky.social @markgoodrich.bsky.social @chadaldeman.bsky.social @mrzachg.bsky.social @katasolow.bsky.social @hollykorbey.bsky.social @gregashman.bsky.social @smorrisey.bsky.social @daisychristo.bsky.social and so many more.
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Karen Vaites @karenvaites.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
What a week! It’s arguably too much for one newsletter. But on the flip side, I bet you missed something here. The Latest in Literacy is out: www.karenvaites.org/p/the-latest...
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