Sold a Story
Sold a Story

Sold a Story

APM Reports

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Episodes

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Millions of kids can't read well. Scientists have known for decades how children learn to read, but many schools don’t know about the research. They buy teacher training and books that are rooted in a disproven idea. In Sold a Story, Emily Hanford investigates four authors and a publishing company that have made millions selling this idea.

Recent Episodes

Emily Hanford LIVE from Planet Word with Reid Lyon and Margaret Goldberg
DEC 9, 2025
Emily Hanford LIVE from Planet Word with Reid Lyon and Margaret Goldberg
<p>Early in her teaching career, Margaret Goldberg was skeptical of the science of reading. Today, she is working with neuroscientist Reid Lyon to bring it into more classrooms. Lyon and Goldberg joined <em>Sold a Story</em> host Emily Hanford for a live conversation about the challenges of translating research into practice. The event was part of the Eyes on Reading series at Planet Word, a museum in Washington, D.C., dedicated to words and language. </p><br/><p><strong>Read: </strong><a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/12/09/sold-a-story-emily-hanford-live-reid-lyon-margaret-goldberg#transcript" class="default">Transcript of this episode</a><br><strong>See:</strong> <a href="https://files.apmcdn.org/production/8b96e5390861725dc379e3406292982e.pdf" class="Hyperlink SCXW217086331 BCX0">Slideshow from the event (cute pictures!)</a><br><strong>Watch:</strong> <a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/planet-word/" class="Hyperlink SCXW217086331 BCX0">All Eyes on Reading videos</a><br><strong>Connect:</strong> <em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="default"> discussion guides</a><br><br><strong>Support:</strong> <a href="https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">Donate to APM Reports</a> <br><strong>Email us:</strong> <a href="mailto:[email protected]%E2%80%AF" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">[email protected] </a> <br><strong>Call us:</strong> (612) 888-7323<br><strong>Listener survey: </strong><a href="https://mpr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l3Re9u1TzNV59I" class="default">Tell us about yourself</a><br><strong>More: </strong><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">soldastory.org</a> </p><br/><p>Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at <a href="https://soldastory.org/extracredit" class="Hyperlink SCXW216002192 BCX0">soldastory.org/extracredit</a>.</p>
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57 MIN
14: The Cuts
AUG 21, 2025
14: The Cuts
<p>Education research is at a turning point in the United States. The Trump administration is slashing government funding for science and dismantling the Department of Education. We look at what the cuts mean for the science of reading — and the effort to get that science into schools. </p><br/><p><strong>Read: </strong><a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/08/21/trump-cancels-survey-of-high-schoolers?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW216002192 BCX0">Trump cancels survey of high schoolers</a> <br><strong>Read: </strong><a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/08/21/researchers-nations-report-card-at-risk?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW216002192 BCX0">Nation’s Report Card at risk</a> <br><strong>Read: </strong><a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/08/21/lawsuit-saves-reading-experiment-trump-cuts?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW216002192 BCX0">Lawsuit saves massive reading experiment</a> <br><strong>Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/08/21/sold-a-story-e14-the-cuts#transcript" class="default">Transcript of this episode</a></p><br/><p><strong>Carolyn Riehl: </strong><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3699784" class="Hyperlink SCXW216002192 BCX0">Medical research and education research</a> </p><br/><p><strong>Watch:</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">The story behind </a><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><br><strong>Organize: </strong><em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e14" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e14" class="default"> discussion guides</a><br><strong>Support:</strong> <a href="https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">Donate to APM Reports</a> <br><strong>Email us:</strong> <a href="mailto:[email protected]%E2%80%AF" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">[email protected] </a> <br><strong>Call us:</strong> (612) 888-7323<br><strong>Listener survey: </strong><a href="https://mpr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l3Re9u1TzNV59I" class="default">Tell us about yourself</a><br><strong>More: </strong><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">soldastory.org</a> </p><br/><p>Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at <a href="https://soldastory.org/extracredit" class="Hyperlink SCXW216002192 BCX0">soldastory.org/extracredit</a>. </p>
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37 MIN
13: The List
MAR 6, 2025
13: The List
<p>Steubenville became a model of reading success. Then a new law in Ohio put it all at risk. In this episode, we look at the "science of reading" lists some states are making, why the program Steubenville has been using for 25 years isn't getting on many of these lists, and the surprising power of one curriculum review group.</p><br/><p><strong>Read: </strong><a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/03/06/edreports-reading-curriculum-reviews-science-of-reading?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="default">Christopher Peak on EdReports</a><br><strong>Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/03/06/sold-a-story-e13-the-list?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="default">Transcript of this episode</a></p><br/><p><strong>Watch:</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">The story behind </a><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><br><strong>Organize: </strong><em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e13" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e13" class="default"> discussion guides</a><br><strong>Support:</strong> <a href="https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">Donate to APM Reports</a> <br><strong>Email us:</strong> <a href="mailto:[email protected]%E2%80%AF" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">[email protected] </a> <br><strong>Call us:</strong> (612) 888-7323<br><strong>Listener survey: </strong><a href="https://mpr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l3Re9u1TzNV59I" class="default">Tell us about yourself</a><br><strong>More: </strong><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">soldastory.org</a> </p><br/><p>Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at <a href="https://soldastory.org/extracredit" class="default">soldastory.org/extracredit</a>.</p>
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33 MIN
12: The Evidence
FEB 27, 2025
12: The Evidence
<p>There’s a name for the program at the heart of Steubenville’s remarkable reading results. It’s called Success for All. It’s been around for decades, and numerous studies have shown it’s effective. But relatively few school districts use it. We trace the history of the program and why it’s never really caught on. </p><br/><p><strong>Read: </strong><a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/07/24/success-for-all-gets-kids-reading-why-dont-more-schools-use-it?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="default">Why don’t more schools use Success for All?</a><br><strong>Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/02/27/sold-a-story-e12-the-evidence?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW17907896 BCX0">Transcript of this episode</a></p><br/><p><strong>Watch:</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">The story behind </a><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><br><strong>Organize: </strong><em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e12" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e12" class="default"> discussion guides</a><br><strong>Support:</strong> <a href="https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">Donate to APM Reports</a> <br><strong>Email us:</strong> <a href="mailto:[email protected]%E2%80%AF" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">[email protected] </a> <br><strong>Listener survey: </strong><a href="https://mpr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l3Re9u1TzNV59I" class="default">Tell us about yourself</a><br><strong>More: </strong><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">soldastory.org</a> </p><br/><p>Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at <a href="https://soldastory.org/extracredit" class="Hyperlink SCXW259042446 BCX0">soldastory.org/extracredit</a>. </p>
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30 MIN
11: The Outlier
FEB 20, 2025
11: The Outlier
<p>There’s a school district in eastern Ohio where virtually all the students become good readers by the time they finish third grade. Many of the wealthiest places in the country can’t even say that. And Steubenville is a Rust Belt town where the state considers almost all the students “economically disadvantaged.” How did they do it?</p><br/><p><strong>Explore:</strong> <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/02/20/steubenville-ohio-reading-success-for-all?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">Steubenville, by the numbers</a> <br><strong>Read:</strong> <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/02/20/sold-a-story-e11-the-outlier?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">Transcript of this episode</a> </p><br/><p><strong>Book:</strong> <a href="https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781682536261/districts-that-succeed/" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">Districts that Succeed</a> <br><strong>Book:</strong> <a href="https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781934742280/how-its-being-done/" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">How It's Being Done</a> <br><strong>Podcast:</strong> <a href="https://edtrust.org/rti/extraordinary-districts/" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">ExtraOrdinary Districts</a> </p><br/><p><strong>Watch:</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">The story behind </a><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAxCgFDuLQ" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><br><strong>Organize: </strong><em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e11" class="default">Sold a Story</a></em><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/discussion-guide/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral#s01e11" class="default"> discussion guides</a><br><strong>Support:</strong> <a href="https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/sold-a-story-sn" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">Donate to APM Reports</a> <br><strong>Email us:</strong> <a href="mailto:[email protected]%E2%80%AF" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">[email protected] </a> <br><strong>Listener survey: </strong><a href="https://mpr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l3Re9u1TzNV59I" class="default">Tell us about yourself</a><br><strong>More: </strong><a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="Hyperlink SCXW175710763 BCX0">soldastory.org</a> <br></p><br/><p>Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at <a href="https://soldastory.org/extracredit" class="Hyperlink SCXW94628936 BCX0">soldastory.org/extracredit</a>. </p>
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31 MIN