Literacy is a right for all students, yet many learners read below proficiency. Throughout the edLeader Panel "The Literacy Crisis: If It’s a Right, Why Is It Still a Privilege?" experts had a conversation about implementing practices that give students equitable literacy learning opportunities.

On the panel were leaders from Lexia—Dr. Octavia Gray-Essex, former educator and current Senior Education Advisor, Dr. Caresa Dodson, LETRS Professional Learning Customer Success Manager, Dr. Carly Waters, LETRS Dedicated District Success Manager, and Jessica Stroven, LETRS Professional Learning Customer Success Manager.

Evidence-Based Practices Are Key

Literacy helps students become lifelong learners, yet many struggle with it. The key to resolving this issue is evidence-based practices centered around educational equity. Most students can learn to read with proper support, which happens with evidence-backed instruction. Evidence shows that the Science of Reading with explicit instruction is what helps students learn.

Implementation is an ongoing, recursive process. It succeeds when all parts of the school ecosystem coordinate so that students receive consistent instruction. It also requires professional learning centered around evidence-based instruction, leadership and teachers examining data together, consistent implementation, and system alignment across the board.

While quality instruction is crucial for improving student literacy, only 51% of teacher prep programs include evidence-based reading practices; without the support and skills teachers need, implementation fails. Teachers need knowledge of evidence-based reading practices, job-embedded professional learning, opportunities to apply what they learn, and ongoing reinforcement of practices.

The Implementation-Impact Gap

Oftentimes, there is a gap between the intention behind implementation and impact. To ensure the best student outcomes, all parts of the educational ecosystem must be aligned. That means clear priorities, initiatives, resources, coaching, and assessments. The impacts show up in the classroom, so leadership must clearly communicate with and listen to teachers.

In addition to proper professional development, teachers need opportunities to collaborate and observe one another to see implementation in action. Leaders and teachers must be aligned when implementing practices. Professional development must be connected to ongoing coaching, clear expectations, and support from leadership so that intention actually develops into successful implementation.

Don't Just Gather Data; Act Upon It

While professional development helps teachers learn and apply evidence-based practices, assessment provides student data that can be used to adjust teaching as needed. Data must be studied to see what works, what needs changing, and what needs prioritizing—it must be acted upon, not just gathered. Leaders should give teachers opportunities to examine their students' data and help them see how to embed their new skills into pre-existing classroom structures, such as the Science of Reading, and adjust them according to students' needs.

Support From Leadership Is a Must

Without support embedded into the system, teachers can’t implement what they’re learning. They regularly face competing demands, so leaders must make priorities clear, provide guidance and support, align resources and time accordingly, and overall create classroom conditions that support implementation.

They shouldn't forget that results take time; be patient, follow research-backed practices, and allow implementation the time it needs to work. However, there are some immediate actions leaders can take to apply evidence-based practices:

• Determine priorities and how to keep them visible and sustained. The key is clearly communicating priorities to teachers and asking what they require to focus on them.
• Visit classrooms to look for signs of evidence-based practices.
• Create time for teachers to examine data and collaborate. Teachers already have busy schedules, so leadership must protect their time to help them avoid overwhelm.

Tackling the literacy crisis requires clear communication and providing teachers with support, resources, and time for implementation. Give teachers what they need in order to teach, and all students get what they need in order to grow.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, The Literacy Crisis: If It's a Right, Why Is It Still a Privilege? sponsored by Lexia.

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Article by Jon Scanlon, based on this edLeader Panel