The Science of Reading as a Catalyst for Change: Renowned educational leader Kymyona Burk speaks at SUNY New Paltz on Nov. 20
Kymyona Burk, Ed. D., who recently joined the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz as Visiting Senior Fellow, will present a public talk on Wednesday, Nov. 20, about equity, access and opportunity in literacy education.
Burk’s address, titled “The Science of Reading as a Catalyst for Change,” will begin at 4:15 p.m. in Lecture Center 102 on the SUNY New Paltz campus.
This is a powerful opportunity for education professionals – including teachers, classroom specialists, school and district administrators as well as School of Education students and faculty – to hear from and meet with a highly accomplished literacy expert with an extensive and proven track record of building teacher capacity and improving student literacy outcomes.
RSVP in advance is requested via this link. Attendees are eligible for CTLE credit toward their certification requirements. Refreshments will be provided.
About Kymyona Burk, Ed. D.
Kymyona Burk is the Visiting Senior Fellow at the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz and a widely recognized educational leader who brings a demonstrated history of building teacher capacity and improving student literacy outcomes across a career in teaching, coaching and state-level administration spanning more than 25 years.
Burk’s professional accomplishments in education and reading policy are numerous. She previously served as the State Literacy Director (K-12) in the Mississippi Department of Education, where she led implementation of a vision for effective literacy programming, instruction and assessment. The subsequent improvement in educational and literacy outcomes for students during this time period has come to be known as the “Mississippi Miracle.”
More recently, Burk is serving as a senior policy fellow at the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), where she works to support U.S. states pursuing a comprehensive approach to K-3 reading policy.
As Visiting Senior Fellow, Burk leads strategic planning and implementation for the Science of Reading Center’s ongoing expansion as a professional learning support resource for PreK-12 educators across the United States. She works to establish new connections, expand the Center’s network of experts and leaders, and increase the Center’s capacity to provide webinars and other implementation resources for literacy professionals. She also advises on opportunities to deliver Science of Reading Center services in new regions and for new populations.
About the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz
Founded in 2023, the Science of Reading Center offers a hub of professional learning and development for educators with a shared mission of improving literacy outcomes for children across the U.S., by promoting research-backed knowledge and practices that are proven to help children gain skills and competence as readers.
The Center is home to the Science of Reading Fundamentals microcredential, a fully online course developed by New Paltz School of Education faculty for teachers, school district leaders and other education professionals, to equip them with the core tools and techniques of effective reading instruction. To date, more than 10,000 people have enrolled in the Science of Reading Fundamentals microcredential.