Kelly VanZant

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...

Wyoming stands as a unique anomaly: a state with the highest per-pupil education spending in the nation, fueled by mineral wealth, yet consistently achieving only average national reading outcomes and lacking comprehensive Science of Reading legislation. This paradox of abundant resources coupled with cautious policy reveals a state that prioritizes local autonomy and resists educational trends, often to the detriment of systematic, evidence-based reform for neurodivergent learners. Current...