In July of 2021, Robert “Robby” Asberry took over as the new superintendent of Hancock County Schools, a small district in Hawesville, Kentucky. Driven by the negative academic effects of the pandemic on students and his own son’s struggles with reading, Asberry made overhauling the district’s literacy instruction one of his first priorities. Here’s what happened next.

Elizabeth Heubeck is a staff writer for Education Week.

Lauren Santucci
Video Producer
As a video producer, Lauren Santucci produces, films, and edits meaningful, human-interest digital video and works closely with Education Week editors and reporters. Prior to joining Education Week in 2022, she produced videos for Al Jazeera, FRONTLINE PBS, and The Texas Tribune. She has a master’s degree in visual journalism from Ohio University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.