The Science of Reading in Action: A Leadership Approach to Lasting Change

Every student deserves access to literacy, and that access must be built with intention and structure. This leadership-focused summary from Lexia’s 2025 Science of Reading Summits outlines what it takes to move from research to results. Designed for school and district leaders, the resource highlights strategic insights from more than 250 administrators working to implement evidence-based reading instruction in real classrooms.

The core message emphasizes that literacy success depends on strong collaboration between district and school leadership, as well as consistent use of proven instructional practices. This piece explores the “what, why, and how” of effective literacy instruction and highlights how decades of research in areas such as phonology, morphology, and syntax can inform practical actions that improve student reading outcomes.

Key takeaways include the importance of shifting from reactive interventions to proactive, prevention-focused systems. The summary also underscores the value of diagnostic, responsive teaching and the measurable results of aligning instructional methods with the science of reading. While research shows 95% of students are capable of reading proficiency, only about one-third achieve it by fourth or eighth grade.

With more than 40 years of experience in literacy leadership, Lexia® continues to support administrators committed to sustainable progress. This resource equips education leaders to move from awareness to meaningful, system-level literacy improvement.