Literacy isn’t just about words on a page. It’s about access and the chance for each student to become an active reader, thinker and contributor. Our 2025 Impact Report paints a vivid picture of how that chance is growing through people, partnerships, and systems.
Over the past decade, Learning Ally has reached 2.6 million students, 154,000 educators, and 24,000 schools nationwide—all united by one goal: to turn struggling readers into engaged learners. Together, students have read more than 14.9 million books using the Learning Ally Audiobook SolutionⓇ.
Leadership with Purpose at a Pivotal Moment
Appointed CEO in May 2025, Howard Bell III brings a forward-looking vision and a deeply personal commitment to advancing literacy equity. He emphasizes two guiding principles: understand what problem is being solved—and for whom—and pair innovation with reliability, ensuring Learning Ally continues to deliver value every year.
Growing up in an underserved community shaped his belief that equity isn’t an add-on but a foundation. Under his leadership, Learning Ally is building greater reach and advancing equity for all learners.
Empowering Educators Through Research-Based Practice
Improving student outcomes begins with empowering educators. Learning Ally’s professional learning programs emphasize the science of reading, structured literacy, and a shared instructional language that is consistent across schools.
By addressing the real challenges teachers, reading specialists, and administrators face, these initiatives help create the conditions for lasting change.
This focus has driven a decade of measurable progress. Two hallmark programs—The Great Reading Games and Spotlight on Dyslexia—each celebrated their 10th anniversary this year.
The success of The Great Reading Games prompted the launch of three new reading programs, establishing year-round reading engagement and increased product usage. In addition, the program inspired 212,000 students to read 42.5 million pages in just three months.
Spotlight on Dyslexia provides thousands of educators worldwide with research-based professional development and Continuing Education (CE) credits. Together, they demonstrate Learning Ally’s ongoing commitment to improving both student achievement and educator confidence through evidence-based literacy practice.
Expanding Access Where It Matters Most
This year marked a meaningful step in removing barriers for schools and students in under-resourced settings. A flagship initiative, The Literacy Opportunity Fund, provided no-cost access to the Audiobook Solution for schools that experience financial hardship, unlocking more grade-level reading, more confidence, and more learning.
Volunteers & Community: Voices of Possibilities
Behind every student who grows in confidence, every educator who adopts new practices, and every school that shifts its approach, there’s a network of volunteers and community champions.
In 2025, nearly 1,000 volunteers contributed 19,000 service-hours, narrating audiobooks, quality-assuring content, and supporting schools.
One narrator, Maryfran A., reflecting on eight years of service, said:
“It’s rewarding to be a part of this community and to know I am making a difference.”
Volunteer voices open doors for learners every day.
Corporate partners also play a key role by enabling group-volunteer events, engaging employees, and bridging business, community, and education. The corporate volunteer program celebrated its 5th anniversary, mobilizing thousands of employees from companies like Microsoft, KPMG, and West Monroe to support audiobook production and educator outreach.
Stories That Capture the Why
The data tells part of the story; the real impact lives in individual lives changed—a student who once avoided reading now leads a peer group; a teacher who felt isolated now connects with a national community; a family that once struggled now reads together confidently.
As one student put it:
“I’m reading faster and understanding more — it has made me a better reader.”
Looking Ahead: A Future of Equity, Innovation & Impact
Our priority remains making dyslexia screening and literacy support affordable and available in every school.
Every audiobook narrated. Every educator trained. Every student empowered. Together, we unlock one reader at a time, and in doing so, open entire worlds.
📈 Read the full 2025 Impact Report to explore more data, stories and results.
