Kelly VanZant

Idaho presents a fascinating and underreported case: a state that has implemented more foundational Science of Reading policy than many realize yet remains a work in progress with significant gaps in enforcement and equity. With a pioneering early literacy law and one of the nation's most successful reading improvement initiatives, Idaho has gems of effective policy buried within a system still struggling to reach every neurodivergent learner, especially in its vast rural reaches. Current...

Missouri lives up to its "Show-Me" nickname in literacy policy: skeptical of trends and demanding proof. Ironically, it is surrounded by states showing it proof—Arkansas to the south and Tennessee to the east have implemented strong laws with positive results. Yet Missouri's approach remains incremental, focusing on expanding existing structures rather than systemic transformation. For neurodivergent students, this means change is slow, underfunded, and often fails to reach those with the...

Kansas finds itself at a literal and figurative crossroads. Geographically central, its literacy policy is similarly caught between Midwestern pragmatism and a political legacy of contentious education funding battles. While surrounding states like Colorado, Missouri, and Arkansas have passed significant reading legislation, Kansas remains in a holding pattern of task forces, voluntary frameworks, and deeply localized control. For neurodivergent learners, this means progress is sporadic and...