What District Leaders Told Us: An Executive Summary About Transforming Literacy for All Learners

This Executive Summary highlights what district leaders told us during Lexia’s 2025 Science of Reading Leadership Summits: Literacy transformation cannot be left to chance. It must be built with evidence-based practices, aligned systems, and a shared commitment to every learner’s success.

One focus was on supporting striving readers. District leaders are embedding daily progress monitoring, scheduling protected literacy blocks, and training teachers not only in how to teach reading but also in why it works. With this foundation, instruction becomes more consistent, targeted, and responsive.

Leaders also underscored the importance of supporting multilingual learners by centering language, identity, and equity. Classrooms are becoming more inclusive and language-rich, embedding speaking and listening as core skills while honoring and celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity. Data-driven personalization and coaching from multilingual specialists ensure both literacy and language growth.

At the secondary level, district leaders are reframing literacy as a cross-curricular responsibility. Teachers across subjects are collaborating, using diagnostics, and applying evidence-based strategies to help adolescents navigate increasingly complex texts.

Finally, professional learning and change management emerged as cornerstones. District leaders are embedding training into the school year, offering flexible formats, and creating cultures where every educator shares responsibility for literacy outcomes.

Lexia® programs and professional learning solutions support this bold leadership, ensuring educators have the tools, research, and sustained partnership needed to achieve lasting, equitable literacy gains.