Lesley Mandel Morrow, PhD, holds the rank of Professor II at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Her research deals with early literacy development and the organization and management of language arts programs. Dr. Morrow has published more than 300 journal articles, chapters, and books. Her work has been recognized with awards including the Outstanding Teacher Educator of Reading Award and the William S. Gray Citation of Merit from the International Reading Association (IRA), and the Oscar S. Causey Award from the Literacy Research Association. Dr. Morrow is past president of the IRA and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame.

Timothy Shanahan, PhD, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he directed the Center for Literacy. He served on one of the expert panels that helped develop the Common Core State Standards. Dr. Shanahan’s research emphasizes reading–writing relationships, reading assessment, and improving reading achievement. In 2006, he was appointed to serve on the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy. Dr. Shanahan is past president of the International Literacy Association and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame.

Karen K. Wixson, PhD, is Dean of the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has published widely in the areas of literacy curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Dr. Wixson co-directed the federally funded Michigan English Language Arts Framework standards project, and served as Co-Director and Principal Investigator of the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. She also served as a member of the extended work team for the Common Core English Language Arts standards. Dr. Wixson is a former board member of the National Reading Conference and the IRA.