We are thrilled to announce that EarlyBird at Home: our comprehensive program designed to empower families to support their children in learning to read at home, is now Sprout Labs.
Our journey began with EarlyBird Education, an early literacy screener that transformed how reading skills are evaluated in schools, offering a kid-friendly experience that delivers comprehensive, actionable data to educators. Validated at Boston Children’s Hospital, the #1 pediatric hospital in the U.S., EarlyBird has become a trusted early literacy assessment used by schools and districts nationwide. With the introduction of Sprout Labs, we’ve expanded the EarlyBird assessment to include 1-to-1 access to literacy specialists and a game-based app that reinforces reading skills at home. With Sprout Labs, the same science-backed and research-proven methods are now in the hands of those who need them most—families.
Sprout Labs offers a real solution parents can use at home, without the need for expensive tutoring or complicated scheduling. We combine three critical components—early identification of reading issues like dyslexia with the EarlyBird screener, direct consultation with a reading expert, and instruction based on proven methods—all in one place. Using the Orton-Gillingham approach, a method that has been the gold standard in dyslexia education for decades, we’ve designed the program to be interactive, engaging, and easy to use at home. The game-based approach encourages children to engage consistently, which is essential for long-term progress.
As the parent of a child who struggled to read, I know what it’s like to feel lost in the search for answers and wish for solutions that fit into real life. I would have done anything to have access to a program like this for my own child, and now I’m proud to say we’ve made that possible for families everywhere. Our team includes teachers, researchers, and parents, who know the obstacles firsthand, from long waiting periods and limited access to practical assessments to interventions that are either too expensive or too difficult to fit into our schedules. With Sprout Labs, our mission is to equip families with the tools and confidence they need to help their children thrive, without having to jump through hoops or break the bank.
We appreciate your ongoing support and are excited to have you join us on this journey to bring Sprout Labs to families everywhere.
Thank you!
Carla E. Small
As founders, we know that reading education isn’t just powerful and promising – it’s personal. Some of us have dedicated our careers to studying the science behind reading success, while others of us have experienced first-hand the challenges families face when a child struggles with reading. We know, both intellectually and emotionally, how essential reading skills are for children to grow into confident, happy, and successful adults who love to learn. Sprout Labs was born from this passion.
Co-Founder and CEO
is a business executive, a leader of the Boston Children’s Hospital accelerator that backed the development of EarlyBird, and the parent of a child with dyslexia. She joined Drs. Gaab and Petscher in launching EarlyBird Education, and now Sprout Labs, as part of her personal mission to equip families with the tools and confidence they need to help children discover the joy and rewards of reading.
Co-Founder and Scientific Advisor
Nadine Gaab, was a developmental neuroscientist at Boston Children’s Hospital when she developed the EarlyBird assessment, proven effective at predicting dyslexia and other reading challenges in young children. As both a professional and a mother, she recognized the power of bringing a proactive, preventive approach to educators, and now families, and joined forces with the team to create Sprout Labs.
Co-Founder and Scientific Advisor
Associate Director at the Florida Center for Reading Research, contributed his extensive research, data and expertise in developing and implementing EarlyBird. Understanding the transformative potential of their combined work, he collaborated with Dr. Gaab—not only for reading education, but for improving lives. Together, they combined years of research, data, and knowledge to bring EarlyBird, and now Sprout Labs, to life.
