For years one of the most anticipated events in reading instruction has been Jack Cassidy and his colleagues' annual publication of the "What's Hot, What's Not" survey. In their present study, using longitudinal data from the What's Hot survey, Cassidy, Ortlieb, and Grote-Garcia (2016) make the case that because the Common Core Standards has become the dominant hot topic in literacy education, other critical topics in literacy education, especially those dealing with students who struggle to achieve proficiency in reading, have been left behind. Using Cassidy, Ortlieb, and Grote-Garcia's current study for reference, this article examines how a topic becomes "hot," who decides what is hot in literacy education, and what it means to be rated as "not hot." The article concludes that in making such small changes the annual "What's Hot" survey might shift from a survey that reflects the current popularity and transient importance of literacy education concepts to a survey that becomes a reflection of their actual importance. Such statements of importance could ultimately result in more informed leadership and more effective instruction, as well as more focused research in literacy education to benefit all students.