Jennifer Throndsen, PhD
Dr. Jennifer Throndsen has over 20 years of experience serving in a variety of educational roles within the K-12 public education system including:
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Elementary general education classroom teacher
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Middle school mathematics teacher
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District multilingual learner coordinator
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GLAD trainer
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Adjunct professor for undergraduate and graduate level course in literacy and math
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Instructional coach
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District evidence-based learning specialist
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State administrator for K-12 literacy
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State director of teaching and learning
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Educational consultant
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Published author
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International presenter
Background
Jennifer Throndsen, PhD, is an educational consultant, author, and former state literacy leader who is passionate about helping educators transform research into classroom practice. With more than 20 years of experience spanning the classroom, instructional coaching, district leadership, higher education, and state-level administration, Jennifer specializes in bridging the science of reading, the science of instruction, and the science of learning to improve student outcomes.
Jennifer is the founder of Impactful Learning Designs LLC, where she partners with state education agencies, school districts, and schools across the country to strengthen literacy instruction, develop instructional leadership, and build sustainable systems for continuous improvement. Her work includes executive coaching for school leaders, instructional coaching, comprehensive needs assessments, strategic planning, professional learning, and implementation support designed to create lasting change.
A recognized literacy leader, Jennifer was honored by Utah's 3rd Grade Reading Council of Champions for her contributions to improving reading achievement. She is the author of Raising Up Readers: 25 Scaffolding Strategies to Help Students Access Challenging Text and is currently writing a second book focused on maximizing the impact of phonics instruction by integrating the science of reading, science of instruction, and science of learning.
Jennifer is known for translating complex research into practical, actionable strategies that educators can implement immediately. Her areas of expertise include structured literacy, evidence-based instruction, instructional coaching, implementation science, school improvement, and leadership development. Whether working with classroom teachers, instructional coaches, principals, or district leaders, Jennifer's goal is to help educators create coherent systems that lead to meaningful improvements in teaching and learning for every student.
Founded in 2024, Impactful Learning Designs LLC was created to provide customized consulting and professional learning tailored to the unique needs of schools and districts. Jennifer believes that meaningful improvement occurs when evidence-based instructional practices are paired with effective implementation and strong instructional leadership. Through collaborative partnerships, she helps education organizations build the knowledge, systems, and capacity necessary to improve outcomes for all learners.
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Publications
Throndsen, J. (in press). Built for All: Tier 1 Supports for Multilingual Learners. Solution Tree Blog.
Throndsen, J. (2026, July). Scaffolded Reading Instruction: Supporting All Readers in Grade Level Text. HMH Blog. https://www.hmhco.com/blog/scaffolding-reading-instruction
Schopf, J. A. (Ed.) & Throndsen, J. (2026). Reading isn't optional: Fulfilling the promise of literacy for secondary students: Chapter 10. Solution Tree.
Throndsen, J. (2025, August 22). How to boost reading instruction with scaffolding strategies. Solution Tree Blog. https://www.solutiontree.com/blog/how-to-boost-reading-instruction-with-scaffolding-strategies/
Throndsen, J. (2025, July 30). The potential impact of 15 minutes. Dystinct Magazine, Issue 27. https://on.dystinct.org/the-potential-impact-of-15-minutes-dr-jennifer-throndsen/
Throndsen, J. (June 2025). Raising Up Readers: 25 Scaffolding Strategies to Help Students Access Challenging Text. Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, IN.
Throndsen, J. (2025, June 10). Scaffolding strategies to teach challenging text. MiddleWeb. https://www.middleweb.com/52305/scaffolding-strategies-to-teach-challenging-text/
Throndsen, J. (2025, May 20). Want Students to Read on Grade Level? These Strategies Can Help: Active reading, peer-assisted learning and other ways to scaffold literacy instruction. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-want-students-to-read-on-grade-level-these-strategies-can-help/2025/05
Throndsen, J. What’s Going on in Utah with Jennifer Throndsen. NASDTEC Podcasts. Podcast audio, April 2023.
Throndsen, J. S6 E10: The big win is just the beginning with Dr. Jennifer Throndsen. Science of Reading: The Podcast. Podcast audio, January, 2023.
Throndsen, J.E., Shumway, J.F. & Moyer-Packenham, P.S. (2020). The Relationship Between Mathematical Literacy at Kindergarten Entry and Public Preschool Attendance, Type, and Quality. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48, 473–483.
Throndsen, J., MacDonald, B., & Hunt, J. (2017). Developing a kindergartener’s concept of cardinality. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 22(2), 21–25.
Jones, C., & Throndsen, J. (2016). Teaching Ideas. The Utah Journal of Literacy, 19(1), 41-48.
Throndsen, J. (2014). Postscript: Knock'em down. Teaching Children Mathematics, 20(9), 584-584.
Podcasts, Webinars, and Articles
National and International Presentation Examples
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The Reading League, Reading Isn't Optional Book Study Session 2, July 2026, Virtually
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EdWeek, Scaffolding All Readers in Grade Level Text, EdWeek Leadership Symposium, May 2026, Virtually
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ResearchEd Greenwich, Developing an Evidence-Based Framework to Advance Student Centered Learning, April 2024, Greenwich, Connecticut
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Australian Association for Research in Education, Improving K-3 Literacy Proficiency through Deep Implementation of the Science of Reading and Science of Reading Instruction, December 2022, Adelaide, Australia
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Aurora Institute, Identifying Your North Star, Compass, and Vessel: Successfully Navigating Your Journey to Personalized, Competency Based Learning, October 2023, Palm Springs, California
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NCTM Annual Conference, Developing a Growth Mindset, April 2016, San Francisco, California
Current Projects
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Executive Coaching State, District and School Leaders
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Districtwide Implementation of Key Literacy Initiatives
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Districtwide and School-Based Professional Development Sessions
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Site Based Coaching in Utah, Arkansas and California
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Implementation Science Coaching for School Improvement Sites
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Facilitating Professional Learning Communities
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Contact
If you are looking to connect to see how we might be able to accelerate learning in your local community, please contact me.