Essential Questions for Early Grade Reading: Leadership for Literacy

The school/system has a written vision for early literacy that reflects a mindset that every student, especially those in priority groups (e.g., students of color, students in poverty, multilingual learners, students with disabilities) can read proficiently by the end of 2nd grade (Instruction Partners).

The school/system has a written vision for early literacy that includes a focus on leveraging and building students’ linguistic and cultural assets (e.g., primary languages, language dialects, language varieties) (Instruction Partners).

The school/system establishes a vision for early literacy instruction that is anchored in both the Science of Reading and the belief that all students can and will read independently and proficiently by the end of 2nd grade (Instruction Partners).

All stakeholders have a clear understanding of the vision for early literacy, including their individual role in working toward that vision, which is consistently reflected in team communication, collaboration, and instructional decision making (Instruction Partners).

Leadership questions: What is the picture of literacy achievement in your district, school, classroom, or community? Which students are learning to read proficiently by third grade? What instructional decisions are leading to their success? (SCORE Tennessee)

Leadership questions: How does the Science of Reading research play out in your district literacy strategy? Professional learning opportunities for teachers and leaders? Classroom practice? Materials selection? (SCORE Tennessee)

Leadership questions: What does your instructional leadership team understand about the Science of Reading? (SCORE Tennessee)

Leadership questions: What opportunities exist for teachers and leaders to participate in professional learning on the Science of Reading? (SCORE Tennessee)

Leadership questions: Are terms like whole language, balanced literacy, guided reading, or readers’ and writers’ workshop used to describe literacy instruction in your schools? (SCORE Tennessee)

Leadership questions: Are there whole language-based practices happening in your schools? What are they? What is the rationale for keeping them? (SCORE Tennessee)

Leadership questions: How are instructional materials for literacy selected in your district? Are your district’s literacy materials rooted in the Science of Reading? If you approach the selection of ELA instructional materials with a focus on the Science of Reading, what strategies, approaches, and practices will need to change? (SCORE Tennessee)

It is hard to overstate the importance of school leadership in educational improvement. Research suggests that administrators play an important role as instructional leaders, setting high expectations for student achievement (Shanker Institute).

Effective principals orient their practice toward instructionally focused interactions with teachers, building a productive school climate, facilitating collaboration and professional learning communities, and strategic personnel and resource management processes (J. A. Grissom as quoted in Shanker Institute).

Effective school leadership plays a vital role in improving students’ reading skills. A competent leader should possess several key qualities, such as the ability to articulate a clear vision for reading instruction based on research-based best practices; to prioritize skill development; to monitor students’ progress; and to continuously seek ways to improve teaching practices (Shanker Institute).

Building a strong foundation for reading improvement requires a comprehensive array of supports for both teachers and students. State legislation should guarantee that their laws address all these aspects, building a solid foundation for literacy improvement. Lawmakers should prioritize establishing system alignment and coherence, which is arguably the most vital objective moving forward (Shanker Institute).

Without the support and commitment of school leaders, teachers might struggle to implement reforms. Therefore, legislators should consider policies that educate and empower school administrators with knowledge of the Science of Reading. Such enlightened leadership is crucial for ensuring that teachers’ varied professional needs are met and that professional learning demands are sustainable, appropriately compensated, and come with ample opportunities for practical application. (Model state: Utah) (Shanker Institute).

Utah’s reading instruction legislation provides an example of capacity-building leadership promoting the Science of Reading. In Utah, the administrative team takes on an important role in promoting educational improvement and the Science of Reading. Specifically, the law states that leaders should “develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems” for teachers’ professional learning. The law requires all principals, supervisors, local educational district leaders and literacy specialists to complete professional learning on the Science of Reading within a specified time period. School leaders and literacy coaches are then required to work in partnership to ensure that all teachers have a team of support for improving literacy instruction (Shanker Institute).

Percent of students receiving instruction from a standards-aligned, research-based early literacy curriculum (Instruction Partners).

The local education agency has adopted Tier 1 curricular materials that are anchored in the Science of Reading and include a systematic and explicit foundational skills program as well as content-rich reading materials that support knowledge building (Instruction Partners).

Availability of social-emotional learning curricula and programs (such as growth mindset interventions) (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of educators surveyed indicating access to sufficient curriculum resources (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of educators surveyed indicating alignment among standards, curriculum, resources and assessments (National Education Association).

Quality and extent of use of culturally-responsive curriculum (Data sources: Local policy and practice assessment, inventory or review) (StriveTogether 2021).

Schools implement an anti-racist curriculum (National Education Association).

When and if appropriate, additional culturally and/or linguistically relevant materials are used alongside curricular materials to support students in making personal connections (Instruction Partners).

Tiered intervention programs in use are structured and systematic; they amplify and accelerate learning from Tier 1 materials (Instruction Partners).

Curriculum-embedded assessments and materials are used seamlessly to design whole- and small-group learning experiences that move every student toward reading proficiency (Instruction Partners).

LEAs reference EdReports when assessing the quality of potential early literacy curricula (edreports).

Schools implement the Welcoming Schools program founded by the Human Rights Campaign (National Education Association).

Schools include educators in curriculum selection (National Education Association).

Schools use the community as a contextualized learning environment (National Education Association).

Schools include educators in implementation plan development for standards and curriculum (National Education Association).

Studies suggest that a high-quality, culturally relevant and knowledge-rich curriculum can be an important lever for reading reform. High-quality curricula provide a scope and sequence of content and skills, with opportunities for review, and pedagogical practices and activities for students who need additional support. At their most effective, they use asset-based pedagogies that incorporate students’ cultural identities and lived experiences into the classroom as tools for learning and critical thinking (Shanker Institute).

Converging evidence across the fields of special education, literacy education and English language learning has shown that high-quality, culturally relevant and knowledge-rich curricula can improve student outcomes. Recognizing its importance, Chiefs for Change, an organization of state and district leaders representing over 7 million students, has made the adoption of evidence-based curricula a centerpiece of its ongoing efforts (Shanker Institute).

Like many other states, Delaware identifies the five pillars of reading as the essential components of an evidenced-based curriculum. Districts are asked to select from an approved list or can apply to use an alternative curriculum that is evidenced-based. All curricula on this approved list should include a “logical scope and sequence that is sequential, systematic, and cumulative.” At the same time, the law recognizes that one core reading program may not contain all of these elements and may need to be combined with other resources. Therefore, the core program and the supplementary sources need to be well-aligned to ensure that students receive an evidence-based curriculum (Shanker Institute).

According to Education Week, 40 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws or implemented new policies related to evidence-based reading instruction since 2013 (Education Week).

Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) focuses on the prevention of reading difficulties through screenings, early identification, and interventions. Mississippi moved from 49th to 21st in the nation for 4th grade reading (ExcelinEd).

In 2022, Alaska passed the Alaska Reads Act, requiring statewide teacher training in evidence-based reading practices, providing classroom reading specialists, and implementing early screening for K-3 reading difficulties. Parents also receive tools to support reading at home (ExcelinEd).

Virginia’s unanimously passed Early Literacy Act mandates science-of-reading training for teachers, early identification of struggling readers, and school board literacy plans with intervention services (Virginia Literacy Partners).

State develops a policy that requires alignment between curricular content and rigorous standards and is inclusive of every ability, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender and gender identity (National Education Association).

State policy mandates alignment among content standards, curriculum, resources and assessments (National Education Association).

State policy requires educator involvement in developing content standards and curriculum guidelines (National Education Association).

State has an autonomous curriculum review board with a majority of active pre-K through 12 educators (National Education Association).

State provides funding to ensure curricular content is inclusive of students of every ability, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender and gender identity (National Education Association).

State provides high-quality resources that are aligned with standards and curriculum. Resources may include textbooks, workbooks, technology and supplies (National Education Association).

Tennessee’s policy on High-Quality Instructional Materials: Districts and public charter schools must adopt and purchase textbooks and instructional materials designed to align with the five foundational literacy skills. To support adoption and use of these aligned materials, the state invested in networks of districts to support the implementation of these newly purchased materials and to provide coaches for educator training. (SCORE Tennessee Policy Pillars)

Each student has clear, individual learning goals and learning targets that teachers, students, and families/caregivers understand (Instruction Partners).

Student data is gathered from multiple forms of assessment (e.g., universal screener, progress monitoring, curriculum assessment, teachers’ observation notes about skills individual students have and have not yet mastered) (Instruction Partners).

Students at-risk for reading difficulties are identified early and provided targeted intervention.

Families and caregivers are kept up-to-date on their child’s progress toward goals and play an active role in supporting their child’s journey to becoming a skilled reader  (Instruction Partners).

The assessment system in place includes a universal screener that assesses all students’ proficiency on nationally-normed, grade-level benchmarks at least three times per year (Instruction Partners).

The assessment system in place includes progress monitoring tools to determine how students are progressing toward their individual goals and student growth targets based on nationally-normed benchmarks (Instruction Partners).

The assessment system in place includes a diagnostic assessment that pinpoints the specific skills that students have mastered and/or where they need further instruction and practice (Instruction Partners).

The assessment system in place includes formative assessments (e.g., from the curriculum, anecdotal records) to assess students’ mastery of what is being taught. Note that it is important to consider that additional or alternative assessment data may be necessary to yield a holistic picture of students’ knowledge and skills, particularly for students in priority groups (e.g., a test given in English may not capture the language skills of a Spanish-speaking student; providing them an assessment in Spanish may offer educators a more accurate picture of their skills and knowledge) (Instruction Partners).

Assessment and evaluation honor multilingual learners’ (MLs’) primary languages and current English proficiency levels. There is a written policy to ensure that MLs are not held back in the curriculum sequence or small-group work based on primary language influence or current English proficiency level (Instruction Partners).

There is a clear and efficient data cycle process in place that supports leaders and teachers in collecting and analyzing student data as well as adjusting instruction based on what is and is not working (Instruction Partners).

When analyzing student data, all educators providing or supporting early literacy instruction are included (e.g., K–2 and language development teachers)  (Instruction Partners).

Data is analyzed collaboratively from each form of assessment alongside student goals to determine what is working and what may need to be refined to support students in moving toward skill mastery (Instruction Partners).

Data analysis adjusts tier placement for students based on clear entry and exit criteria for intervention with an emphasis on exiting students as flexibly and quickly as possible (Instruction Partners).

Student data is disaggregated and analyzed by demographics; team members use this data to ensure that the needs of students in priority groups are centered when making instructional decisions (Instruction Partners).

Schools develop the infrastructure, knowledge, incentives, and accountability structures needed to collect and analyze data, making it possible to track children’s progress toward results from birth through third grade, individualize teaching strategies, and intervene when needed (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

State legislation should describe a comprehensive set of in-school supports for students. These supports should include screenings to identify students at risk of reading failure, progress-monitoring instruments and diagnostic assessments to identify special needs. Assessment data should guide instruction, the selection of intervention strategies and referrals for special services (Shanker Institute).

Require schools administer Kindergarten entry assessments to guide instruction (Alliance for Early Success).