From the Boardroom to the Bookshelf: Leading a Literacy Revolution

 "Literacy is the great equalizer. When we teach a child to read, we give them the keys to every other door in the building."

~ LeVar Burton

My favorite part of days off is how I am able to start my morning: a hot cup of strong coffee and a book. Currently, my professional read is The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle. As I read, I’m constantly reminded that every strategic plan, every budget hearing, and every board meeting ultimately serves one singular purpose—ensuring that every child in our care can read, comprehend, and engage with the world.

As superintendents, we are often viewed as Chief Operations Officers. We manage bond issues and bus routes. We manage job postings and personnel. We manage, we manage, we manage. But, if we want to move the needle on student success, we must be leaders: Chief Literacy Officers.

Leading literacy isn't just about picking a curriculum; it’s about creating a culture where reading is the heartbeat of the district. Here are some ideas on how we can lead the literacy charge from the district office to the classroom.

1. The Power of Visibility: Literacy Learning Walks

Leadership starts with what we prioritize with our time. Make it a point to get into classrooms not just for formal evaluations, but for Literacy Walks.

• The Move: Calendar one morning a week visiting ELA blocks (and two other content areas at the secondary level) across different grade levels. By “calendar,” I mean block it off on your digital or paper calendar and protect the time as if your life depends on it. Because, for some students, reading deficiencies will literally impact them throughout their lifetime. Their life does depend on it. 

• The Action: Look at the classroom libraries and be curious about what you see (and don’t see). Are they diverse? Whose points of view are represented (and not)? Talk to the students and be curious about what they are reading and why. What disciplinary literacy is honored and not?

• The Impact: When teachers see the Superintendent invested in reading and literacy instruction, it signals that literacy is the North Star.

2. Empower teachers through professional learning

Build the capacity in educators to achieve better outcomes. Teacher empowerment happens when we provide the tools and the trust.

• Instructional Idea: Shift from one-off workshops to sustained models of literacy support. Find the literacy leaders and ensure your literacy leaders have the autonomy to work side-by-side with teachers.

• Budgetary Move: Prioritize funding for literacy leaders and evidence-based professional development.Those are two impactful investments a district can make.

3. Create a “Read” that readers can get behind

To lead a culture of literacy, we have to model it. I started Super Reads for All, which kicks off this week. In this initiative, I am collaborating with our local public library. Every month, I recommend one picture book, one middle grade, and one young adult book. The school district manages the promotion, and the library sets up the display. Each book is available through the state literacy network. One hope is to bridge the gap between administration and students. I

• For Staff: Choose a professional text (e.g., Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond) and host monthly "Lunch and Learns." Choose a personal read (I’m currently reading Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid) and host a book club. 

• For Students: Pick a novel and record yourself reading a chapter for the district website or school social media. It shows students that even the "boss" makes time to get lost in a story.

Practical "Monday Morning" Moves for Superintendents

If you want to start leading literacy tomorrow, here are three actionable steps:

Action Category	Specific Task
Communication	Include a "What I’m Reading" section in your weekly newsletter or on your social media sites for the community.
Policy	Review your district's literacy policies (e.g., on screening data, curriculum choices, classroom and school libraries) and ensure they are pro-reading and pro-literacy.Present changes to the Board through a growth-mindset lens.
Resource Support	Audit your classroom libraries. Ensure teachers have high-quality, decodable texts for early readers.Ensure all students have access to high-quality materials.

My Current Recommendation

If you’re looking for a book to spark a conversation with your leadership team and create communities of readers, I highly recommend The 6 Literacy Levers: Creating a Community of Readers by Brad Gustafson. It’s an accessible, easy to implement book appropriate for anyone looking to grow as a literacy leader. 

Leading literacy initiatives is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires us to be visionary enough to see the long-term goal and practical enough to support the daily lessons. Let’s keep reading, keep leading, and keep putting books in the hands of our kids.