BROOKLYN, NY (December 6, 2024) – Amplify, a publisher of next-generation curriculum and assessment programs, today awarded North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt its inaugural Leader in Education Award. This Award honors and recognizes policymakers who have shown dedication, creativity, and leadership to improve the education system and enhance learning opportunities for all students.
Since taking office in January 2021, Superintendent Truitt has implemented innovative education policies, practices, and initiatives, raising the bar for student achievement and performance. North Carolina’s third-grade students have outperformed the national average on end-of-year literacy assessments for three years in a row. In the 2023 – 2024 school year alone, over 80,000 more students met or exceeded benchmarks. More broadly, North Carolina’s K-3 students consistently surpass the national average for students on track.
A driving force behind North Carolina’s success has been Truitt’s adoption of the Science of Reading, a research-based approach to literacy instruction that emphasizes the importance of explicit and systemic foundational skills instruction and knowledge-building to support reading comprehension. She actively championed the approach and worked diligently to make it the standard.
“It is such an honor to receive this distinction,” said Truitt. “I’m so proud of the work we’ve done for North Carolina students, and I owe so much of that to our schools and teachers, who worked tirelessly with me to implement the science of reading.”
Just two years after implementing the Science of Reading, the state’s K-3 students are outpacing peers in other states in reading proficiency and rate of improvement, despite recent national decreases in literacy proficiency and understanding.
“One of the most important jobs of the school system is to teach children to read by third grade,” said Amplify Chief Executive Officer Larry Berger. “Superintendent Truitt has achieved remarkable outcomes through her laser focus on comprehensively implementing the Science of Reading in North Carolina. Her policies serve as a model for other superintendents, and her impact on K-3 literacy will be felt across the state for years to come.”
Truitt was honored earlier today in Brooklyn, New York.
About Amplify
A pioneer in K–12 education since 2000, Amplify is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Our core and supplemental programs in ELA, math and science engage all students in rigorous learning and inspire them to think deeply, creatively and for themselves. Our formative assessment products help teachers identify the targeted instruction students need to build a strong foundation in early reading and math. All of our programs and services provide educators with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of every student. Today, Amplify serves more than 15 million students in all 50 states and on six continents. For more information, visit Amplify.com.
Media Contact: Kristine Frech; media@amplify.com
