Cox Campus: Over $180 Million in Free Literacy Training for Educators Nationwide

Introduction

In a significant milestone for educational reform, the Cox Campus, an initiative of the Atlanta Speech School's Rollins Center for Language & Literacy, has surpassed an extraordinary $180 million in free literacy training for educators across the United States. This remarkable achievement highlights the commitment to tackling one of the paramount challenges in education today—illiteracy.

The Role of Cox Campus

Launched in 2014 as a response to a growing need for structured literacy training, Cox Campus offers an online platform that provides free courses, resources, and professional development aimed at enhancing educators' abilities to foster literacy in their students. The program has been supported by generous philanthropic contributions over the past decade, allowing it to become a fully funded service that reaches educators in all 50 states as well as in 147 countries worldwide.

Training Impact

To date, Cox Campus has had more than 375,000 members who have collectively completed over 1.2 million training courses, delivering a staggering estimated value of $180 million without cost to the educators or their institutions. The main goal is to offer evidence-based solutions rooted in the science of reading, empowering educators with the skills and knowledge they need to drive student success in literacy.

The platform has proven to be exceptionally effective, achieving a 92% course completion rate and consistently receiving high ratings from participating educators. This outstanding engagement speaks to the direct applicability of the training provided and its relevance in real classroom settings.

Statewide Reforms

Cox Campus is not just a resource for individual educators; it’s also functioning as a powerful engine for statewide literacy reforms. By collaborating with state educational departments, particularly the Georgia Department of Education, Cox Campus has been pivotal in launching initiatives like the Georgia Literacy Academy. This academy makes structured literacy courses available for free, intending to improve the professional skills of educators throughout the state.

Since the Georgia Literacy Academy's inception, over 45,000 educators have participated, completing a total of 348,000 structured literacy courses—amounting to an impressive market value of $52.2 million in professional development at zero cost to educators.

Other states have followed suit, with 40 states enacting some form of literacy legislation that aligns with the principles of scientific reading. For instance, in Ohio, more than 28,892 educators have accessed Cox Campus, completing over 165,342 courses to meet state-endorsed early childhood education requirements. The resulting professional learning has a calculated fair market value of $24.8 million, showcasing the platform's significant impact.

Accreditation and Trust

Cox Campus holds dual international accreditations from IACET and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), making it the only free online platform that offers science of reading training while providing credit-earning opportunities. This level of recognition ensures educators can trust the quality and effectiveness of the training provided.

Next Steps for Engagement

For education leaders, policymakers, and advocates looking for scalable solutions to support literacy education, Cox Campus represents a promising model. Its framework is already being utilized in many districts, suggesting it’s poised for further expansion. Interested educators can join the platform for free and explore a range of accredited learning pathways designed for impactful literacy instruction.

Conclusion

The overarching goal of Cox Campus is to enable universal literacy, advocating for an education system where free and evidence-based training is accessible to every educator. As literacy remains a fundamental right, initiatives like these are crucial for bridging educational gaps and securing a brighter future for countless students across the globe. Explore more about Cox Campus and join in the mission of advancing literacy for all at CoxCampus.org.

About Cox Campus

Cox Campus was established to maximize the reach of the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy. Its innovative platform has cultivated a global community of educators striving to enhance literacy practices. Thanks to ongoing support from philanthropic partners, Cox Campus continues to maintain its commitment to providing free, high-quality training resources.