Now calling itself EPS Learning, the company proposes to answer falling test scores in English language arts with science-based educational materials for preK-12 students, according to a Jan. 24 news release.
The former EPS School Specialty spun out of its parent company School Specialty in March 2023, when School Specialty sold its literacy and math tools to the private equity firm Excolere Equity Partners. By rebranding again, EPS has dropped the name of its old parent company as well as its math tools.
"Today marks a shift for our team as a burgeoning company that's deliberate in its focus on high-quality literacy solutions," Steven Guttentag, chief executive officer at EPS Learning, said in a public statement. "EPS Learning embodies our dedication to combining the best of print and digital resources — empowering educators to meet the diverse needs of today's striving readers.”
School Specialty, a Wisconsin-based company that set up shop more than 60 years ago, is now an online school supply store, but as of November it no longer processes orders for EPS products or services, according to its website.
The news release said EPS Learning’s new focus was driven by the decline in reading scores across the country that was exacerbated by learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It cited data from the Nation’s Report Card, which indicates the average reading score for 9-year-olds declined by five points between 2020 and 2022.
The National Center on Improving Literacy defines the science of reading as an evolving body of research on how children best learn to read. It identifies key variables such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
"EPS has been in alignment with the science of reading for decades, and we know that students learn to read best through a structured literacy approach," EPS Learning Chief Academic Officer Janine Walker-Caffrey said in a public statement. "We've developed a literacy framework comprised of solutions that will allow educators to meet their students exactly where they are — and accelerate their learning to where they need to be. As our students grow and learn, so do our solutions."
A catalogue of 20 tools on the company's website includes print materials with digital add-ons, assessment books for special education students, an artificial intelligence-powered reading assistant and a digital instruction coach.
