Central College has announced that lecturer of education Papae Wymore is collaborating with Susan Smartt, who is a nationally recognized literacy expert and co-author of “Next STEPS in Literacy Instruction: Connecting Assessments to Effective Interventions”.

Smartt has long been a leader in aligning the science of reading with practical, classroom-ready interventions. Wymore is currently integrating “Next STEPS in Literacy Instruction” into her Literacy Assessment and Intervention course, providing teacher candidates with a powerful, evidence-based framework for connecting student assessment data to effective instructional decisions.

The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensure that future educators are equipped with the tools, knowledge and support needed to deliver high-quality, responsive literacy instruction in every classroom.

As part of this ongoing work, Wymore will present at the 2025 Iowa Department of Education Science of Reading Summit for Educator Preparation in June, where she will share how the Next STEPS text is being used to strengthen educator preparation at Central.