Nationally Recognized Leaders in Teaching and Learning Join American Reading Company's Academic Advisory Board

American Reading Company (ARC) is excited to announce three new members have joined our Academic Advisory Board: Dr. Kathy Escamilla, Dr. Manuel Escamilla, and Alicia Grunow.

"We are so honored to have this extraordinary group of education experts helping us ensure our curriculum and professional development provides high-impact and high-quality education to schools across the country," shared Founder and CEO Jane Hileman.

Dr. Kathy Escamilla and Dr. Manuel Escamilla of Literacy Squared®, are co-authors of Biliteracy from the Start and leading experts in the research and development of best practices and educational models that contribute to high academic achievement for Spanish-speaking minority students in the US. This partnership will allow ARC to continue to improve and expand on the Spanish parity of our materials and curriculum and provide greater opportunities for students to become biliterate and bicultural.

Alicia Grunow is a senior partner and director at the Carnegie Foundation of Improvement Science and Analytics groups. She is also the co-author of Learning to Improve, How America's Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better, which has influenced ARC's professional development and how we build organizational capacity to make systems work better for all children.

The American Reading Company Academic Advisory Board boasts the best, brightest, and most diverse leaders in the field of education services and solutions. Drs. Escamilla and Alicia Grunow join a group of renowned educators whose life work is dedicated to ensuring all children have access to high-quality education. Other members of the Academic Advisory Board include Dr. Jim Cummins, Professor Emeritus at University of Toronto; Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade, associate professor at SFSU, and Founder of Roses in Concrete Community School; Dr. Ron Walker, executive director of Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC); Dr. Isabel Campoy, noted educator and author of Spanish titles for early readers; Dr. Alma Flor Ada, lecturer and famed children's book author; Dr. Richard Allington, researcher and former president of the International Reading Association; Drs. Kylene Beers and Bob Probst, authors of the Notice and Note series; Dr. Pedro Noguera, urban sociologist and Distinguished Professor of Education at UCLA; Dr. Anne McGill-Franzen, author and noted early childhood professor at University of Tennessee; Dr. Irvin Scott, senior lecturer at Harvard Graduate school, and former deputy director of Education at the Bill and Melinda Gate's Foundation; and Dr. Jeffrey Wilhelm, educational author, researcher, and founding director of the Boise State Writing project.

Through their diverse accomplishments and reputations, members of American Reading Company's Academic Advisory board ensure that ARC programs continue to effectively address the needs of students at every level of learning in achieving academic success and college and career readiness.

The group will convene during American Reading Company's fifth annual Leadership Summit on May 23, featuring keynote addresses from Dr. Pedro Noguera and Dr. Jeffery Wilhelm and breakout sessions discussing how to move beyond the basal and build a more just and equitable literacy system.