Lastinger Learning
New Worlds Reading
Florida Tutoring Advantage
Serving Teachers, Children & Families
About the UF Lastinger Center for Learning
Our work is grounded in data and research, but driven by a commitment to improving the lives of teachers, children and families.
The Lastinger Center listens to understand and to inform the trajectory of our work. We are driven by the voices and realities of the communities we serve to create relevant and impactful programs from birth through 12th grade.
Our research-based professional learning programs and statewide initiatives feed into our secure data infrastructure to produce actionable insights into educational outcomes, which we leverage to help teachers teach and students learn.
Impact Highlights
Read the 2024-25 Annual Impact Highlights to learn more about the Center’s recent efforts to advance the quality of education in early childhood, literacy and mathematics.
History
Founded in 2002 through the vision and generosity of University of Florida alumni Allen and Delores Lastinger, the Lastinger Center emerged from a powerful belief: supporting teachers was the most impactful way to improve learning for all children. Their gift created a home for innovation, where research and classroom experience unite to design solutions with lasting impact.
Lastinger Listens
Founding director Don Pemberton, Ph.D., led the Lastinger Center on its first Listening Tour. Listening Tours inform the trajectory of the Center’s work by grounding it in the reality of the communities it serves. Dr. Pemberton also forged strategic partnerships with educational organizations, school districts and state agencies across Florida in order to advance education.
This collaborative approach gave rise to transformative flagship initiatives such as Algebra & Math Nation, Early Learning Florida, and Literacy Matrix, each carefully designed through direct engagement with educators to address their most pressing needs.
A New Era
In 2018, Phil Poekert, Ph.D., became director and guided the Center into a new era of growth, focusing on creating programs that improve teaching and learning in early childhood, literacy and mathematics, from birth through 12th grade. This era is also marked by the launch of the New Worlds Reading Initiative in 2021 – Florida’s first statewide at-home book delivery program.
Today, the Lastinger Center impacts millions of students and educators through programs like the Literacy Micro-Credentials, Math Matrix and Florida Tutoring Advantage.
Lastinger Legends Podcast
Join Center Director Phil Poekert and legends of the UF Lastinger Center as they share their stories of the establishment and early days of the Center through in six inspirational episodes.
Newsletters
Stay up to date by joining our mailing lists and following us on LinkedIn.
Research Roundup
At-a-glance updates about recent publications, grants and awards, research events that spotlight Lastinger Center associates and affiliate faculty.
Recent Editions
Phil’s Quarterly Update
Highlights of the Lastinger Center’s work in early childhood, literacy, mathematics, learning technologies and data.
Recent Editions
