Mapping Your Science of Reading Journey: A Comprehensive Guide for School Leaders

School leaders are transforming literacy instruction by embracing the science of reading, with the goal of helping every child learn how to read proficiently. Backed by decades of cognitive and linguistic research, this approach emphasizes explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—key skills most students need to be taught directly.

Yet, even with mandates and teacher buy-in, implementing the science of reading is rarely straightforward. Whether you're just getting started, scaling professional development, or looking to refine instructional practices, this guide offers administrators a comprehensive road map through each phase, including:

• Clear summaries of each phase of the implementation journey

• Practical strategies aligned to real-world challenges

• Suggestions for professional learning and instructional solutions

• Applicable resources to help guide your adoption, implementation, and mastery

Discover how administrators like you are driving literacy change by prioritizing equity, investing in ongoing professional learning, and achieving measurable student reading gains. Get insights into real implementation challenges and how administrators positioned teachers and students for success.

Whether your educators are just beginning to adopt a Structured Literacy approach or you’re using data to identify ways to improve instruction, Lexia® solutions and experts can guide you along the way.