Sold a Story

Steubenville became a model of reading success. Then a new law in Ohio put it all at risk. In this episode, we look at the "science of reading" lists some states are making, why the program Steubenville has been using for 25 years isn't getting on many of these lists, and the surprising power of one curriculum review group. Read: Christopher Peak on EdReports [https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/03/06/edreports-reading-curriculum-reviews-science-of-reading?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral] Read: Transcript of this episode [https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/03/06/sold-a-story-e13-the-list?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral] Call us: (612) 888-7323 Email us: soldastory@apmreports.org [soldastory@apmreports.org] Donate: Support our journalism [https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn] More: soldastory.org [https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral] Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit [https://soldastory.org/extracredit].

There’s a name for the program at the heart of Steubenville’s remarkable reading results. It’s called Success for All. It’s been around for decades, and numerous studies have shown it’s effective. But relatively few school districts use it. We trace the history of the program and why it’s never really caught on.  Read: Transcript of this episode [https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/02/27/sold-a-story-e12-the-evidence?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral] Video: The Story Behind Sold a Story [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ&t=13s] Donate: Support our journalism [https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn] More: soldastory.org [https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral] Email us: soldastory@apmreports.org [soldastory@apmreports.org]  Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit [https://soldastory.org/extracredit].

There’s a school district in eastern Ohio where virtually all the students become good readers by the time they finish third grade. Many of the wealthiest places in the country can’t even say that. And Steubenville is a Rust Belt town where the state considers almost all the students “economically disadvantaged.” How did they do it? Explore: Steubenville, by the numbers [https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/02/20/steubenville-ohio-reading-success-for-all?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Read: Transcript of this episode [https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/02/20/sold-a-story-e11-the-outlier?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Book: Districts that Succeed [https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781682536261/districts-that-succeed/]  Book: How It's Being Done [https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781934742280/how-its-being-done/]  Podcast: ExtraOrdinary Districts [https://edtrust.org/rti/extraordinary-districts/]  Donate: Support our journalism [https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn]  More: soldastory.org  [https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Email us: soldastory@apmreports.org  [soldastory@apmreports.org%E2%80%AF]  Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit [https://soldastory.org/extracredit].

Nationally acclaimed journalist Emily Hanford's work is changing the ways schools around the country teach reading. In this award-winning podcast, she investigates why so many schools use an approach that cognitive scientists debunked decades ago.  Apple Podcasts has recognized Sold a Story as a Series Essential. To celebrate, we’re making it available without ads or other announcements for a limited time.  Watch: The story behind [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ]Sold a Story [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ] Support: Donate to APM Reports [https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn]  More: soldastory.org [https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit [https://cloud.connect.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story].

Some of the teachers, students, parents and researchers we met in Sold a Story talk about the impact the podcast has had on their lives and in schools — and share some of their hopes and concerns about the “science of reading” movement.   Portraits: Zoe and Lee Gaul, Christine Cronin, Reid Lyon [https://www.apmreports.org/story/2024/04/11/theres-a-thoughtfulness-about-reading-in-the-country-today?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Email us: soldastory@apmreports.org [soldastory@apmreports.org]  Video: Mark Seidenberg at Yale [https://seidenbergreading.net/2023/12/23/recorded-version-of-yale-talk/]  Article: Seidenberg on translating the science [https://seidenbergreading.net/2023/03/31/about-the-science-in-the-science-of-reading/]  Article: Reid Lyon’s most important findings [https://readinguniverse.org/article/explore-teaching-topics/big-picture/10-maxims-the-research-support] Read: Transcript of this episode [https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2024/04/11/sold-a-story-e10-the-details?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Watch: The story behind [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ]Sold a Story [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ] Donate: Support APM Reports [https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn]  More: soldastory.org [https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral]  Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit [https://cloud.connect.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story].