Alumnus Karl Rectanus Selected to Deliver School of Education's 2026 Graduation Address
The UNC School of Education announced that Karl Rectanus (Class of 1998) would deliver the school's 2026 commencement address. Dean Jill V. Hamm recognized Rectanus for expanding what educational innovation can look like in practice — through entrepreneurial and research-driven work at the intersection of education, technology, and outcomes accountability.
The announcement traced his arc from UNC graduate to co-founding LearnPlatform (acquired by Instructure in 2022), to his current role as CEO of Really Great Reading (RGR), where he is working to modernize one of the field's original Science of Reading organizations into a results-driven model focused on foundational literacy outcomes for all students. The selection reflects the School of Education's recognition that market-based accountability tools — when paired with rigorous, evidence-based implementation infrastructure and outcomes-first leadership — represent a legitimate and urgently needed approach to systemic literacy improvement at scale.