{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"OnYourMark Podcast","title":"Building Systems for Every Reader: Inside Palo Alto Unified’s Early Literacy Work","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2511,"description":"Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Danae Reynolds, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Palo Alto Unified School District, to explore how a high-performing district dug beneath its overall scores to confront unfinished learning and better support student groups who weren’t yet meeting grade-level expectations.Danae shares how Palo Alto Unified built the Every Student Reads Initiative—grounded in structured literacy, explicit phonics instruction, and a districtwide commitment to training every K–3 teacher and principal. Together, they unpack how system alignment, strong core instruction, and a deeper understanding of multilingual learners reshaped early reading across schools. From rethinking decodables to building model classrooms, this is a clear look at how sustained adult learning drives lasting student growth.Key Moments00:04 Welcome to the OnYourMark Podcast00:24 Introducing Danae Reynolds & Palo Alto Unified’s literacy focus01:29 Danae’s journey from classroom teacher to district leader03:17 Why strong averages masked gaps for specific student groups04:37 Discovering Orton–Gillingham and early signs of improvement07:14 Rethinking decodables and unlearning whole-language habits09:56 Supporting multilingual learners with explicit phoneme instruction13:34 Why decoding gaps—not comprehension alone—drive early struggles16:37 Districtwide training: every K–3 teacher and every principal22:24 Using student photos to humanize data and drive goal setting31:05 Building model classrooms and cross-site learning structures37:09 Naming dips in progress and planning the next phase of workWhy You’ll Love This EpisodeIf you’re committed to early literacy and systemwide coherence, this conversation offers practical clarity and grounded insight. Danae shares candidly about confronting inequities hidden beneath strong averages and how evidence-based instruction helped create more consistent experiences for students across schools.You’ll hear how shared language,...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/5NydEFA_qXyiCW0KwnrKe3r-T7cwMW6JrfLozUoHRfY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hZjZm/YTE1ZjRlMjNkMDU4/MzI1MTBjZWJkOGU5/M2FiYS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}