From Evidence to Impact: What Susan Neuman’s Research Teaches Us About Product, Partnership, and What Comes Next

For decades, the education field has cycled through the same core questions: What works in reading? How do we close opportunity gaps? Why do so many promising reforms fade out once they leave the page and enter the classroom?

Dr. Susan Neuman’s recent study of Geodes® offers one of the clearest answers we’ve seen: It’s not just about the materials. It’s also about how they’re supported, perceived, and used in practice. 

The study evaluated the effectiveness of Geodes, a collection of decodable, knowledge-building texts, in improving student reading fluency in first-grade classrooms in New York City. The researchers found that students made significant gains in reading fluency over the school year with Geodes. In particular, when teachers had access to Geodes and implementation support such as coaching, they used the materials more often and more effectively. And, most importantly, their students made even bigger gains in reading fluency and comprehension. 

“We’ve spent decades debating what works in reading,” said Neuman, a professor of Childhood and Literacy Education at NYU. “But the bigger question is, 'Under what conditions does it actually work?' With Geodes, it wasn’t just the texts—it was the tools, coaching, and coherence that made the difference.” 

At Great Minds®, our North Star has always been the impact on student achievement. That means not just creating high-quality materials but ensuring they’re supported by the systems and human relationships that make learning possible. Neuman’s study highlights barriers and enablers that we’ve seen elsewhere. Among other findings, Neuman’s research shows the following:

• Teachers need structured entry points. Even great materials can remain untapped if they are unfamiliar to teachers or disconnected from daily instruction.
• Instructional coherence matters. When programs, pacing, and student needs align, teachers can focus on what they do best—teaching.
• Implementation is a design problem, not a teacher problem. We must reduce the cognitive overload and logistical barriers that disproportionately affect under-resourced schools and their teaching teams.

How do we ensure our design and delivery model reflect what educators and students actually value—not as an afterthought survey, but as a guiding principle from the start? The research gives us direction. The reflection gives us urgency. 

Our goal isn’t just to make our products easier to use—though reducing teacher burden matters. Our goal is to increase the likelihood of real impact. That’s why we’re committed to applying these research findings and continually strengthening our literacy resources. 

Because in the end, it’s not about programs—it’s about people, especially children. And when we design for the classroom, not just from the research, we get closer to our vision: a world where every student experiences the power of knowledge-rich, joyful learning every day.