Supporting Principals in the Science of Reading

Since 2013, most states have passed laws or implemented policies related to evidence-based reading instruction, with many doing so just in the past few years. Most of these laws and policies focus on integrating phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension into high-quality reading curriculum, teacher preparation standards, and professional development. Yet these initiatives rarely address how school principals can better support literacy instruction nor do they differentiate principal training from that of teachers.

Effective implementation of any improvement strategy at the school level depends on the school principal’s knowledge, commitment, and capacity to manage change. State boards of education can further their states’ push toward evidence-based literacy instruction by underscoring the role school leaders play in instructional leadership around literacy, professional learning, curriculum implementation, and creation of a collaborative school culture to support instructional change. …