🆕 Deep Dive article: Understanding Psychometric Properties A closer look at the psychometric properties behind literacy screeners, diagnostics, and progress monitoring tools. Understand what validity, reliability, sensitivity, and specificity are, and why widely used assessments may not always accurately identify students at risk. Dive in here: bit.ly/43zgmWr

200 educators. One shared vision📚 Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Helping to Elevate Reading Outcomes for Every Student (HEROES) conference. Together, we're building stronger literacy outcomes for Nebraska students. #HEROES #NeREADS @AIMtoLearn

Thrilled to #PartnerforImpact with Nebraska educators and leaders. Our AIM team loved being there. Looking forward to the year ahead. #CertifiedCoaching #LiteracyLeadership

New NCTQ data out today shows good news and bad news. The good: More teacher prep programs are preparing future elementary teachers to teach reading well. The bad: Nearly half of the programs we reviewed still aren't fully aligned to reading research. buff.ly/BymHzjR

Now Available: The #NAEP 2025 math and reading long-term trend results for 9- and 13-year-old students. Reading & math scores were higher for 9-year-olds in 2025 than in 2022. For 13-year-olds, there was no significant change in scores from 2023 to 2022.

A major literacy leadership milestone in Nebraska 🎉 AIM Institute for Learning & Research has been selected to support Nebraska Leads Literacy, part of the Nebraska Literacy Project. This statewide initiative helps educators and leaders build stronger literacy systems through evidence-based reading instruction and practices. Through leadership development, coaching, and AIM Pathways, we’re proud to partner in advancing stronger literacy outcomes for educators and students across Nebraska. @NDE_GOV

🆕 Ask AIM article: Adolescent ORF Progress "Is there research or guidance on the amount of progress middle school students should make when being assessed using a grade-level ORF? Weekly progress? Monthly? How much progress should I expect to see from adolescents?" Read AIM's answer: bit.ly/4a2kSAL

We're excited to join educators and leaders from across Wyoming and connect with our CLSD partners at the L³ Embracing Leadership, Language, and Literacy Summit! Throughout the conference, AIM Institute's team will be sharing insights on literacy leadership, implementation science, structured literacy, and coaching for sustainable change. Be sure to stop by our booth to connect with Shelly Johnston and learn more about how AIM partners with @WYOEducation, schools, and districts to transform literacy outcomes. We look forward to seeing you in Cheyenne!

Good news. Now people need to put "feet and voices" to it. abcnews.com/US/education-cha…

Mississippi has become a national leader in literacy growth, and that progress is powered by educators, leaders, and a shared commitment to evidence-based instruction. Now, school districts have an opportunity to continue that momentum. The @MissDeptEd, in collaboration with AIM Institute for Learning & Research, is offering a limited number of opportunities for districts to host in-district literacy professional learning for K-8 educators during the 2026-2027 school year. Over the past decade, Mississippi has risen from near the bottom of national reading rankings to the Top 10 in 4th grade reading achievement, demonstrating what is possible when educators are equipped with high-quality professional learning and support. AIM is proud to be a long-standing partner in that journey. 📅 Applications are due June 12. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/4uhC4cs

Attending the @NMPED's 2026 Literacy & Humanities Summer Conference? Stop by Booth #10 to connect with Dr. Carolyn Durante and learn about AIM Institute's partnership with the NM PED. Completed New Mexico's state-funded Pathways to Proficient Reading: Secondary course? We'd love to celebrate you! Visit Booth #10 to pick up your completion pin and add it to your school lanyard. See you in Albuquerque!

🆕 Ask AIM article: Phonological Working Memory "What is the best strategy or activity to promote phonemic awareness with students who tend to forget the sounds in a word that has been segmented for them to put together?" Read AIM's answer: bit.ly/43A3Q9f

Even when schools invest in strong literacy programs and instructional materials, students can experience reading instruction very differently as they move between classrooms, interventions, and support throughout the day. What happens when instructional routines, language, and expectations don't align? Join Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy at North Carolina State University @devin_kearns, K-12 Literacy Systems Consultant John Bennetts, and AIM Institute for Learning & Research for Aligning Routines with Tier Bridge: Instructional Coherence by Design. In this free webinar, you'll explore: • Why instructional alignment matters • How inconsistent routines can impact learning • Ways Tier Bridge, a BRAND NEW innovative tool, could support you in creating instructional coherence Registrants will also be invited to submit a classroom routine that could be featured in the demo of practical ways to design explicit instruction, compare routines, and refine classroom practices to improve learning outcomes. If your school or district is working to strengthen literacy outcomes, this webinar is for you. 📅 July 28, 2026 🕓 4:00-5:00 PM ET Register today to learn how instructional coherence can move from aspiration to action: bit.ly/433pMth

Oklahoma educators: State-funded literacy professional learning opportunities are now available through AIM Institute and the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Services. This year’s Pathways opportunities include: • Pathways to Proficient Reading: Elementary • Pathways to Proficient Reading: Secondary • Pathways to Literacy Leadership Designed for educators, specialists, and school leaders, these evidence-based learning experiences connect the science of reading to practical classroom and leadership application. Depending on the course, participants may also be eligible for: • Dyslexia micro-credentials • Graduate credit opportunities Enrollment is now open, and some courses have limited capacity. Learn more and explore the pathway designed for your role: bit.ly/4wUFRyU

🆕 Ask AIM article: 6 Traits "My district requires us to score our students' work using the Six Traits of Writing rubric. I feel like scoring for every trait is time-consuming, and then we have so much data that it's not actionable. I'm curious about what the research actually says. Is there evidence that scoring student writing across the traits leads to better writing outcomes? And are there any critiques of the framework I should be aware of? I want to make sure the instructional time I invest in this approach is well-supported by evidence." Read AIM's answer: bit.ly/3RAbj5p

🆕 Ask AIM article: Doubling Consonants Confusion "My students want to know why the consonant doubling rule does not apply when adding -es to the end of a word. For example: foxes, buses, boxes." Read AIM's answer: bit.ly/4twjw81

Another Texas milestone! 🎉 AIM Institute for Learning & Research has been added to @ESCRegion11's approved provider list for professional development and educational services. Serving 70 districts and nearly 600,000 students across North Texas, ESC Region 11 helps connect schools with trusted partners and high-quality support for educators. We’re proud to continue expanding access to evidence-based literacy and professional learning opportunities across Texas.