My Child Can’t Read: A Heartland Crisis

Show notes: What happens when a school doesn’t just talk about the Science of Reading — but builds everything around it? In this episode, Jesica takes listeners inside the Phillips Fundamental Learning Center in Wichita, Kansas — a place where reading science meets compassion and children who once struggled to read are now thriving. Through powerful stories from parents, assessors, teachers, and leaders, we explore what’s possible when instruction is rooted in research, not guesswork. From the heartbreak that inspired its founding to the hope that fills every classroom today, Phillips stands as a model for how Kansas — and the nation — can transform literacy outcomes for all students.
In This Episode You’ll Hear:
Jeanine Phillips — Founder of Phillips Fundamental Learning Center, sharing how her son’s struggle to read inspired a movement that’s changing the future of literacy in Kansas.
Diane Lyon — Reflecting on her own reading journey and the power of schools that intervene early and with purpose.
Why early reading assessments are a doorway to hope for struggling learners and their families.
Connie Thompson — Director of Assessment, walking us through how Phillips’ unique assessment process uncovers the why behind each child’s struggles and gives parents a roadmap for hope.
Jill Hodge — Academic Language Therapist and instructor in the Andeel Teacher Literacy Institute, explaining how teacher training rooted in evidence-based practices changes classrooms from the inside out.How Phillips’ model combines teacher training, student instruction, and assessment under one roof — creating systemic change.
Denise Kuhns — Director of Rolph Literacy Academy stresses the importance of providing dyslexic students with learning experiences that teach students the way their brains learn best.
The impact of structured literacy and Orton-Gillingham-based instruction for students with dyslexia and other reading challenges.
 
Sarah Collins, Stacie Swanson, Michelle Howard, Olivia Howard, Evie Glover, Audrie Mangel  — parents and students at Rolph Literacy Academy on how structured literacy transformed their children’s confidence, skills, and futures
Chartell Grissom — Newer Alphabetic Phonics Teacher shares the realization of how phonemic awareness is empowering students.
Denise Richalano — Stern Math Teacher uncovers the transformational growth true discovery learning provides neurodivergent learners.
Why literacy isn’t optional — and how compassion, science, and community together make transformation possible.
Emily DeGraaf — Homeschool Mom empowered by training at the Andeel Literacy Teachers Institute is now seeing her dyslexic daughter make gains!
Aaron and Gabby Roach — Parents whose son was diagnosed with dyslexia and found success through structured literacy tutoring and support, sharing how their family’s story turned from frustration to freedom.
“Children who struggle to read aren’t broken. The system is. And it’s our job to fix it.” — Jeanine Phillips
Call to Action:
Schedule a tour at Phillips Fundamental Learning Center, apply for your 5–8-year-old child to attend Rolph Literacy Academy before Christmas, or call today to schedule an assessment — it could be the doorway to hope your family has been searching for.
Resources & References
International Dyslexia Association. “What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?”
Galuschka, K. et al. (2021). Effectiveness of Structured Literacy for Children with Reading Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis
Seidenberg, M. (2017). Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can't, and What Can Be Done About ItNational Council on Teacher Quality (2023). Teacher Prep Review: Strengthening Reading Instruction
Phillips Fundamental Learning Center internal outcomes report. 
National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction. NICHD.
National Reading Panel. (2025). The 2025 National Reading Panel Update: What’s Changed in Phonics Research?
NCTQ’s 2023 Teacher Prep Review: Strengthening Elementary Reading InstructionKansas Board of Regents — Foundations of the Science of Reading course
Kansas “Strengthening Kansas’s Implementation of the Science of Reading” (Kansas state-level PDF from NCTQ)
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Show Notes
If we know how children learn to read, why are so many schools still getting it wrong? In this episode, Jesica dives into the science behind phonics, the pitfalls of whole language and balanced literacy, and the systemic barriers keeping effective reading instruction out of classrooms.
You’ll hear from reading researchers, school leaders, literacy specialists and parents who have seen firsthand the difference structured literacy can make — and how Kansas is beginning to shift toward evidence-based reading instruction.
In This Episode You’ll Hear:
Crystal Goins — Founder of Resilient Teacher Mom and Heartwise Scholars Microschool and CEO of Teachers As Partners, shares her experience with transitioning toward the Science of Reading in her instructional approach 
Dr. Louisa Moats — lead architect of LETRS, on why phonics often fails when teachers lack proper training or materialsDr. G. Reid Lyon — former NIH neuropsychologist, on essential components of reading and why phonics alone isn’t enough
Jeanine Phillips — sharing the personal and professional impact of missing reading components in classrooms
Kendra Heim — principal, on the challenges of implementing structured literacy for all learners (5:42–6:32)
Joan Stambaugh — assessment specialist and author, on the consequences of whole language instruction and the power of phonics 
Tammy Kofford — director of teacher training at Phillips Fundamental Learning Center, on equipping teachers with the tools to help struggling readers
Sarah Balzar — reading specialist, on the impact of Science-of-Reading-aligned professional development
Diane House — Skyline principal, on leadership and retraining staff to align with research
How teacher preparation and curriculum choices have perpetuated the literacy crisis
Evidence-based strategies already working in Kansas and across the U.S.
Why this is Kansas’ moment of reckoning — if we get this right, we can change the future for every child
Key Quotes
“Reading isn’t natural… it’s a skill we have to be explicitly taught.” — Jesica, summarizing Dr. Louisa Moats and Dr. G. Reid Lyon
“Teachers aren’t the enemy here — they’re the victims of insufficient training and misguided curricula that weren’t based on the Science of Reading.” — Tammy Kofford
Call to Action
Parents: Ask your child’s teacher and principal about the curriculum and structured literacy training. Consider diagnostic testing and support from Phillips Fundamental Learning Center.
Teachers: Enroll in Science-of-Reading-aligned professional development, including Alphabetic Phonics or Orton-Gillingham-based training, and advocate for administrative support.
Kansas Listeners: Support statewide alignment with Science of Reading. Engage in school and policy discussions to ensure every child has the right to learn to read.
Resources & References
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2024 Results
Moats, L. C. (1999). Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science. American Federation of Teachers.
National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature.
Ehri, L. C. (2022). Systematic Phonics Instruction Helps Students Learn to Read: Evidence from Meta-Analyses.
Dehaene, S. (2009). Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read. Viking.
Education Week Survey (2020). What Teachers Know About the Science of Reading.National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), 2023 Teacher Prep Review
Kansas Department of Education Internal Review (2022)
Hanford, E. (2023). Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong. American Public Media
National Reading Panel
Higher Education Standards – Science of Reading Template
Kansas Education Framework for Literacy (2025)
Kansas Educator Preparation Provider Accreditation and Standards Handbook (2025)
Updates on Science of Reading Licensure Requirements (2024)
Mississippi – NAEP 4th Gr Reading: Contextualizing Mississippi's 2024 NAEP Scores
Alabama – 3rd Gr Reading Improvement: Major Gains on Reading Scores in Alabama
North Carolina – K–3 Mid-Year Growth: NC Department of Public Instruction Press Release
Tennessee – 3rd Gr Proficiency: Tennessee Makes Historic Gains in Third Grade Reading
Indiana – IREAD-3 Score Increase: Indiana Third-Grade Reading Scores
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Watching a child struggle to read can feel heartbreaking—and for parents and teachers, it’s easy to feel powerless. In this bonus episode of My Child Can’t Read: A Heartland Crisis, host Jesica Glover sits down with Tammi Hope, Director of Program Development at Phillips Fundamental Learning Center (PFLC), to hear how belief, the right tools, and a child-centered approach are transforming literacy education in Kansas. This episode is packed with hope, insight, and inspiration for parents, teachers, and advocates alike.
What You’ll Learn:
How child-centered, research-based literacy programs can change lives
The importance of understanding the whole child in learning and advocacy
Steps parents and educators can take to ensure children get the support they need
Tammi Hope’s journey from teacher to leader in literacy programs
How PFLC teaches the whole child, not just reading skills
Powerful stories from educators experiencing “lightbulb moments” in training
Lessons from her grandchildren that reaffirm why effective intervention matters
"If you know that you're using tools that don't work, you are doing a disservice to the child and to yourself. You're setting both of you up for failure." — Tammi Hope
Resources & Links:
Parents and Community Members, attend a PFLC free lecture or simulation to understand more about dyslexia and experience firsthand how it feels to be neurodiverse. Email jsmith@funlearn.org or call (316) 684-7323 to learn more.
Educators, learn more about attending a Structured Literacy Intervention Specialist course by contacting Anne: achandler@funlearn.org or call (316) 684-7323
Phillips Fundamental Learning Center
Andeel Teacher Literacy Institute at PFLC
 
Call to Action
Subscribe so you never miss an episode, including Season 2: The Anatomy of Change
Rate & Review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find the show
Share this episode with a parent, teacher, or professor preparing future educators
Tell us your story at: funlearn.org/subscribe
Explore screening tools and resources at: funlearn.org
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What if every child had access to the kind of instruction that transforms lives? 
In our Season 1 finale, we revisit the journey of Austin, once a struggling 6-year-old, now a thriving 17-year-old scoring in the top percentiles on the ACT. His story reminds us what’s possible when kids are finally taught to read with proven methods.
This episode takes a hard look at Kansas literacy outcomes, where only 28% of fourth graders are proficient in reading, and explores the systemic reforms underway. From legislators and board members to parents, teachers, and students, you’ll hear how Kansas is at a turning point — and what it will take to finally get this right.
In This Episode You’ll Hear:
Austin Collins shares how his life was transformed after years of struggle having had structured literacy instruction
Senator Renee Erickson on the literacy crisis and why research shows 95–97% of kids can learn to read with the right instruction
Kansas State Board of Education Chair Cathy Hopkins on what’s kept the science of reading out of classrooms — and why collaboration is the key to moving forward
Representative Megan Steele, both policymaker and parent, on why this crisis is personal and professional
Research shows 95–97% of students can learn to read with structured literacy.
Policy changes like the Seal of Literacy are steps forward, but without strong implementation and classroom application, they risk falling short.Rolph Literacy Academy demonstrates how science-based instruction can change lives — for students, parents, and educators alike.
Veteran teacher Stephani Brooks on the challenges of training and implementation in Kansas schools
Skyline Schools PK-8 Principal Diane House and Teachers: Joyce Temanson, Carrie Harrold, Michelle Schmidt share the shift in student impact after having structured literacy training in Alphabetic Phonics on the lives of students- who also share as well.
This is Kansas’ moment of reckoning: if we get this right, we can change the future for every child.
Resources & Further Reading
Children of the Code Project
Hope for Kansas Episode 1 
IMSLEC (International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council)
Kansas State Department of Education — Literacy Seal requirements
LETRS Professional Learning by Dr. Louisa Moats
NAEP (Nation’s Report Card) Kansas Reading Results 
Phillips Fundamental Learning Center
Sold a Story podcast — Emily Hanford, APM Reports
Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science by Dr. Louisa Moats (AFT, 2020)
Reading in the Brain by Stanislas Dehaene (Viking, 2009)
Call to Action
Subscribe so you never miss an episode, including our bonus episode with Tammi Hope from PFLC and Season 2: The Anatomy of Change
Rate & Review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find the show
Share this episode with a parent, teacher, policy maker, or professor preparing future educators
Tell us your story at: funlearn.org/subscribe
Explore screening tools and resources at: funlearn.org
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What if the child getting in trouble at school wasn’t defiant, but desperate? 
 
In this moving episode, we hear directly from struggling readers and their families about what school really felt like when the system failed to see them. Kids labeled as lazy, inattentive, or “the problem” describe the shame, isolation, and heartbreak that came from not being able to read — and the turning points when someone finally listened.
 
We also hear from parents, educators, and psychologists who reveal how often the signs of dyslexia and other learning differences are missed — and what misunderstanding really costs children.
 
In This Episode You’ll Hear:
Cooper, Evie, Emmi, Hadlie, and Austin —  students reflecting on what it feels/felt like to be called “stupid,” “lazy,” or ignored in class
Parents Stacie Swanson, Sarah Collins, and Lindsey Angleton — sharing the early signs they saw and the pushback they faced
Dr. Janelle Tidemann — psychologist explaining the overlooked red flags and why bright, creative kids often slip through the cracks
Jeanine Phillips, Jill Hodge, and Sarah Balzar — Kansas educators describing how training changed everything they thought they knew
The national scope of reading struggles, the Reading Wars, and why balanced literacy wasn’t enough
Struggling readers often say they feel “stupid” or “invisible” long before they’re diagnosed
Early signs — speech delays, difficulty rhyming, not recognizing letters — are often brushed off as “they’ll grow out of it”
Dyslexia is real, common, and too often misdiagnosed as behavior problems, ADHD, or defiance
Balanced literacy left teachers unprepared to meet the needs of all learners
Early intervention and structured literacy change not just academic outcomes, but emotional lives
 
“I wasn’t lazy. I was misunderstood. Something has to change.” – Emmie Johnston
 
Call to Action
Subscribe so you never miss an episode
Rate & Review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find the show
Share this episode with a parent, teacher, policy maker, or professor preparing future educators
Tell us your story at: funlearn.org/subscribe
Explore screening tools and resources at: funlearn.org
 
Resources & Further Reading
Phillips Fundamental Learning Center (Wichita, KS)
LETRS Structured Literacy Training
Children of the Code video series: What’s at Stake
Sold a Story podcast — Emily Hanford & APM Reports
Reading in the Brain by Stanislas Dehaene (Viking, 2009)
Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science by Dr. Louisa Moats (AFT, 2020) — Read PDF
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University — Jack Shonkoff’s work
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Scores, 2024 Visit NAEP – Nation’s Report Card
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What if I told you it was never your fault?
 
Many teachers care deeply — so why do so many children still struggle to read?
In this eye-opening episode, we explore the myth of balanced literacy, the widespread training gaps in teacher preparation, and the emotional toll on students and families. We follow the powerful journey of Jeanine Phillips — a Kansas teacher and mom who discovered her own dyslexia in college and then fought to understand why her son, Cooper, couldn’t read.
Their story reveals how broken systems leave educators unprepared, students misdiagnosed, and families desperate for answers — until someone finally teaches the code.
In This Episode You’ll Hear:
Jeanine Phillips’s story of discovering her own dyslexia and advocating for her son
Cooper Phillips reflecting on shame, a diagnosis of profound dyslexia, and the moment everything changed
Dr. Brian Stone’s perspective on identifying dyslexia and guiding a family toward healing
Balanced literacy didn’t prepare teachers to teach reading — and many never learned how the brain actually learns to read
Dyslexia is real, common, and often misunderstood — in both students and adults
Early intervention, structured literacy, and the right support can change the trajectory of a child’s life.
Families and teachers are doing their best within broken systems — and change starts with knowledge and action
You’re not alone, and you’re not to blame — but together, we can do better
“Balanced literacy didn’t prepare me to teach reading. I had the title, but not the training.”
– Jeanine Phillips
Call to Action
Subscribe so you never miss an episode
Rate & Review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find the show
Share this episode with a parent, teacher, or professor preparing future educators
Tell us your story at: funlearn.org/subscribe
Explore screening tools and resources at: funlearn.org
Resources & Further Reading
Phillips Fundamental Learning Center — Wichita, KS
LETRS Structured Literacy Training
Sold a Story podcast — Emily Hanford & APM Reports
Children of the Code video series
Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science by Dr. Louisa Moats, AFT (2020) — Read PDF
Reading in the Brain by Stanislas Dehaene (Viking, 2009)
Myths About Dyslexia — PDF Resource
 
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What if everything you believed about how kids learn to read… was wrong?
 
In this Season 1 premiere, host Jesica Glover — a mom, former reading specialist, and once-struggling reader herself — shares her family’s journey through confusion, frustration, and discovery. This episode uncovers how our education system lost sight of how reading really works… and why so many parents and teachers were left in the dark.
You’ll hear from brain scientists, psychologists, educators, students, and parents all asking the same painful question: Why can’t my child read — and why didn’t anyone prepare us to help them?
This isn’t just a story about what went wrong. It’s the beginning of a reckoning — and a roadmap toward what’s possible.
In This Episode You’ll Hear
Jesica Glover’s personal story of struggle — as a mom and an educator
Kansas Educator, Jill Hodge, reflecting on feeling unprepared despite a degree
Sarah Collins discovering her child’s experience wasn’t unique
Teen Emmi Johnston describing what it’s like to feel “stupid” — until someone finally teaches you to read
Austin Collins, age 10, student with dyslexia
Dr. Reid Lyon explaining why reading isn’t natural — and why the science still hasn’t reached most classrooms
 
“If you’re a teacher who feels unprepared, a parent who feels unheard, or a student who feels invisible — you’re not alone. And it’s not your fault.”
 
Call to Action
Subscribe so you never miss an episode
Rate & Review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find the show
Share this episode with a parent, teacher, or professor preparing future educators
Tell us your story at: funlearn.org/subscribe
Explore screening tools and resources at: funlearn.org
 
Resources & Further Reading
Alphabetic Phonics Curriculum (Multisensory Teaching Approach) 
Children of the Code video series: What’s at Stake
Dr. Reid Lyon, Keynote, Summit for Literacy (2024)
LETRS Structured Literacy Training
Phillips Fundamental Learning Center — Wichita, KS
Reading in the Brain by Stanislas Dehaene (Viking, 2009)
Sold a Story podcast — Emily Hanford & APM Reports
Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science by Louisa Moats, AFT (2020)
G. Reid Lyon, “Why Reading Is Not a Natural Process,” via Reading Rockets
 
 
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If you’re a teacher who feels unprepared, a parent who feels unheard, or a student who feels invisible — you’re not alone. And it’s not your fault.
 
Too many kids are struggling to read — and too many parents and teachers are left without answers. But the fact is Reading failure is not inevitable. It’s a problem with a solution. But we need to act.
 
Hosted by Jesica Glover — a National Board Certified teacher and parent whose own child couldn’t read — this podcast explores the literacy crisis in Kansas and across the country. Through real stories and expert insight, we uncover how reading is actually learned, where schools are falling short, and what families and educators can do to change it. Each episode combines real stories, expert insight, and a look at the science of how reading works — 
 
From early warning signs and misdiagnoses to bold reforms and grassroots change, My Child Can’t Read traces a powerful journey from heartbreak to hope.
 
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or policymaker, this podcast helps you understand what went wrong — and what we can do to make it right.
 
Call to Action
Subscribe so you never miss an episode
Rate & Review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find the show
Share this episode with a parent, teacher, policy maker, or professor preparing future educators
Tell us your story at: funlearn.org/subscribe
Explore screening tools and resources at:
 
 
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