GLR Week 2026 — July 27–31, 2026

GLR Week 2026 is the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading’s seventh annual virtual gathering. Over five days from July 27-31, we’ll host a week of learning, conversation, and collaboration focused on the urgent issues shaping children’s prospects for early school success. 

GLR Week 2026 will bring together some of the nation’s most compelling thought leaders, leading practitioners, and lived experience experts to explore timely challenges, emerging opportunities, and practical solutions that can help more children succeed in school and thrive beyond the classroom. Throughout the week, we’ll remain mindful of the theme we’ve followed over the last two years – Focus on the Gaps – while highlighting that progress is not only possible, it’s already happening.  

Without a commitment to become increasingly intentional and explicit about naming, mapping, shrinking, and/or closing the gaps, many proposed “solutions,” however inadvertently, could grow, nurture, and sustain the gaps.
— Ralph Smith, Managing Director, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading 

 Eight national plenary sessions will feature conversations about human-first approaches to raising children alongside artificial intelligence; comprehensive, prevention-first approaches to third-grade retention; teacher perspectives on classroom practice and the science of reading; using ALICE data to inform state policy for working families; the role of state education leaders in lifting literacy outcomes; models for dramatically reducing chronic absence; how the changing federal role in education is affecting children living in economically marginalized families; and the civic leadership and engagement that accelerates and sustains local progress. 

Across the country, state- and community-led events will offer additional opportunities to share ideas, highlight what’s working, strengthen partnerships, and inspire action.  

Together, we will use GLR Week 2026 to strengthen our collective commitment to creating more hopeful futures for children. Thank you for joining us.

CGLR appreciates the ongoing commitment of our Founding Partners