From Knowing to Doing: Science of Reading in the Western U.S.

For district and school leaders across the Western United States, the science of reading has moved from the training phase to implementation. District and school leaders have spent years building awareness of the science of reading, adopting evidence-based materials, providing professional learning, and responding to evidence-based literacy initiatives.

But for many districts, the hardest work comes next: turning those investments into consistent classroom practice that lasts.

At Lexia’s 2026 Science of Reading Leadership Summits, school and district administrators from the Southwest, Northwest, and South Central regions discussed what is helping implementation move forward and what continues to get in the way. 

They identified obstacles, such as competing priorities, teacher capacity and turnover, professional learning gaps, and limited resources. 

Their insights suggest that sustainable literacy improvement is not about adding more. It is about helping districts focus their systems around what matters most. That can mean clarifying expectations, strengthening professional learning, using data to guide improvement, and identifying programs, routines, or practices that may be taking time away from stronger literacy work.

Download the white paper to explore what education leaders are experiencing now and how districts are working to move from science of reading awareness to implementation that lasts.