The Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, or EPIC, hosted its first-ever Research with Consequence Forum on June 25 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. This year’s theme, “From Evidence to Impact in Literacy Policy,” brought together researchers, educators and policymakers from across Michigan for a day of shared learning focused on the state’s efforts to ensure that every child reads.

“Given the tremendous leadership and momentum around literacy in our state, we wanted to convene a broad coalition of education leaders and stakeholders around research evidence,” said Madeline Mavrogordato, EPIC faculty director. “Our goal was to share key research findings while also generating ideas and priorities for the next phase of the research agenda, which we believe will be critical in informing implementation of state policies and related literacy initiatives moving forward.”

The forum centered on EPIC’s ongoing research into Michigan’s literacy laws, including a comprehensive overview of data and outcomes from the state’s implementation of the “Read by Grade Three” law from 2016 to 2024.

Attendees also heard remarks from Delsa Chapman, deputy superintendent for the Division of Assessment, School Improvement and Systems Support at the Michigan Department of Education, or MDE, who offered a state-level perspective on literacy policy priorities and the implementation of the “Science of Reading” literacy and dyslexia laws which were passed by the Legislature with bipartisan support in 2024 and signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

“Literacy is the top priority of the Michigan Department of Education,” Chapman said. “The 2024 literacy/dyslexia laws, along with funding in the state budget, aim to strengthen literacy instruction and improve reading outcomes for all students. These laws and MDE’s efforts to address literacy outcomes are data-driven and evidence-based. The EPIC Research with Consequence Forum is the type of collaborative partnership that’s needed to help implement change as we put Michigan students first.”

A central feature of the day was a series of roundtable discussions designed to surface the most pressing questions facing literacy implementation in Michigan. Participants worked through guided questions about the implementation of literacy laws, what aspects of the law need monitoring, and what types of evidence are needed for the field to know if our efforts as a state are working.

The forum closed with a whole-group discussion that drew together themes from the roundtables, identifying shared research priorities and surfacing the real-world challenges of executing a coordinated statewide research agenda for literacy.

“EPIC created exactly the kind of conversation Michigan needs more of by bringing researchers, policymakers and practitioners together around a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children,” said Kyle Mayer, superintendent, Ottawa Area Intermediate School District. “I hope this becomes a more regular part of how we work as a state. Imagine what’s possible if Michigan rallied around a single, clear, measurable statewide goal that unites research, policy and practice in pursuit of improving outcomes for every child.”

EPIC plans to build on the momentum of this inaugural forum with continued convenings that reduce distance between research, practice, and policy and translate research into actionable policy insight across Michigan’s education landscape.

“This forum reflects exactly what EPIC strives to do — connect rigorous research with the people making decisions on the ground,” said Emily Mohr, EPIC managing director. “Bringing researchers, practitioners and policymakers into the same room to talk candidly about what’s working, what isn’t and what we still need to know is how policy actually improves.”

EPIC will tackle additional research related to literacy policy beginning next school year as Michigan enters a new phase of literacy reform. This work will help to address the urgent need to understand how districts are preparing for implementation and how local contexts may shape those efforts, which will serve as the basis to interpret policy successes and challenges in the years ahead.