Noted reading scholar Jessica Toste, Ph.D., appointed editor-in-chief of The Reading League Journal

'It's about putting rigorous, evidence-aligned research into the hands of practitioners'

, /PRNewswire/ -- The Reading League has named noted reading scholar Jessica Toste, Ph.D., its newest editor-in-chief of The Reading League Journal, the premier publication dedicated to connecting the science of reading with educators' professional practices.

Toste is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin. She holds research affiliations with the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk and the Texas Center for Equity Promotion. She is a fellow with the Research Institute for Implementation Science in Education (RIISE).

"Editing this journal is not just about managing a publication; it's about putting rigorous, evidence-aligned research directly into the hands of practitioners," Toste said. "I'm excited to build on the innovative features established by my predecessor, Emily Solari, and to expand the dialogue between scholars and educators. Our goal is to make the science of reading as accessible and actionable as possible."

A leader in reading intervention research, Toste focuses on methods for intensifying interventions for students with disabilities and persistent reading challenges. In her new role as editor, she will expand The Reading League Journal's mission to bridge the gap between academic research and classroom practice, ensuring that rigorous, evidence-based strategies reach educators nationwide.

Her appointment comes as The Reading League Journal continues to evolve since launching in 2020. Her editorial leadership marks the next phase of the Journal's ongoing commitment to advancing literacy education.

Maria Murray, president and chief executive officer of The Reading League, said Toste's plans for the Journal made her the perfect choice to step into the role of editor-in-chief.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Toste to The Reading League family. Her deep expertise and innovative vision align with our mission to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction," Murray said. "Under her leadership, the Journal will continue to empower educators with practical, science-aligned insights."

Toste, in turn, credits The Reading League with advancing the knowledge and use of reading science by bringing to light research that had long remained in academic circles rather than educators' hands. 

"In a very short period of time, The Reading League has been recognized by educators as the number one place to go for understanding reading science and how it applies to teaching," Toste said. "I think that is pretty amazing, considering the decades upon decades of efforts that many people have put into trying to bridge this gap between research and practice."

SOURCE The Reading League