ReadUp Madison
Think of a ReadUp like a Meetup, but 100% focused on reading.
This is how we build a literacy movement.
Join me in making sure every student reads at grade level. Every. Single. One
Benefits of joining:
- Deep understanding of the issues
- Make an impact
- Meet others like you
Thank You Madison
I want to thank everyone who supported my campaign for Madison School Board. While the results weren't what we hoped for, I'm proud of the important conversation we carried about literacy throughout our district.
I've congratulated Martha Siravo on her victory and wish her success in addressing the challenges our schools face. Her dedication to accessibility and inclusion is admirable, and I know she cares deeply about our students. Martha is a terrific and genuine person, and an inspiration to so many including me.
Throughout this campaign, we highlighted a critical issue: 50% of Madison students, 75% of Latino students, and 90% of Black students read below grade level. This literacy crisis affects everything from attendance and behavior to graduation rates and career readiness. Though I won't be serving on the Board, my commitment to addressing this challenge remains steadfast.
I want to keep the momentum we’ve built during this campaign going, so I'm excited to announce a new community initiative - ReadUp Madison. Think of a ReadUp like a Meetup, but 100% focused on reading.
We'll explore Emily Hanford's powerful Sold a Story podcast series that investigates how teaching methods based on debunked theories made it harder for children to learn to read. The podcast documents how 65% of fourth graders in the United States are not proficient readers and examines why kids need to learn specific skills to become good readers, and in many schools, those skills are not being taught. Fortunately, Madison schools are now teaching many of these necessary skills like phonics. But we have a long way to go before every Madison student is proficient in reading.
My vision is for hundreds of these ReadUps across Madison helping to educate our Madison neighbors about the science of reading and how we arrived at our current literacy crisis. By understanding the problem, we can better advocate for effective implementation of evidence-based solutions in our schools.
Literacy is THE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE we must address. Equity will not be accomplished until every student reads proficiently. Every. Single. One.
To everyone who volunteered, donated, and supported this campaign - thank you. Your passion for improving education in Madison inspired me daily. Special thanks to my family, my wife, and especially my children at Leopold and Cherokee Heights, who shared their dad with this campaign.
Though I won't be serving on the School Board, I remain committed to ensuring every Madison student can read at grade level. I look forward to continuing this important work as a community advocate and invite you to join me.