6 Principles to Guide State Literacy Policy

Literacy is more than a skill; it’s a civil right. Yet, as EdTrust highlights in An Equitable Approach to Improve Literacy, millions of children across the U.S. are denied equitable access to high-quality reading instruction.

The most recent NAEP data shows that only 30 percent of fourth graders are proficient in reading, with even lower rates among Black, Latino, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students. This crisis demands urgent action, and school principals are uniquely positioned to lead both within their schools and at the state policy level.

Why Principals Matter in Literacy Reform

As principals, you are the instructional leaders of your schools. You set the tone for teaching and learning, allocate resources, and influence the professional growth of teachers. Your daily decisions directly impact whether students receive evidence-based reading instruction and whether classrooms reflect diverse identities and experiences.

But principals can also extend their influence beyond the school walls—by shaping district priorities and advocating for state-level literacy policies that advance equity.

6 Principles for Principals to Champion

EdTrust outlines six guiding principles for equitable literacy policy. Principals can bring these principles to life in their schools while also pressing policymakers to embed them into state frameworks:

1. Align Instruction With Evidence-Based Practice: Principals can ensure teachers use research-backed reading curricula and assessments, while advocating for state adoption of evidence-based standards.
2. Connect Materials to Students’ Identities: By selecting diverse texts that reflect students’ cultures and interests, principals model equity. At the state level, they can push for inclusive curriculum mandates.
3. Provide Equitable, Differentiated Supports: Principals can build tiered intervention systems in their schools and call on states to fund equitable assessment and intervention programs.
4. Begin at Birth: Principals can partner with early childhood providers and advocate for state investment in Pre-K literacy programs.
5. Empower Educators: Principals can prioritize professional development in reading instruction and lobby for state policies that require and fund teacher training in evidence-based literacy practices.
6. Partner Authentically With Families: Principals can create transparent communication systems about student progress and advocate for state policies that support family engagement in literacy.

Practical Steps Principals Can Take

Principals can take the following practical steps to strengthen literacy instruction and advance equity in their schools:

• Audit School Literacy Practices: Review curricula, interventions, and student outcomes to identify inequities.
• Invest in Teacher Training: Provide ongoing professional development aligned with the science of reading.
• Build Inclusive Libraries: Ensure classroom and school libraries reflect diverse voices and experiences.
• Create Literacy-Rich Environments: Encourage daily reading routines, peer reading programs, and family literacy nights.
• Use Data Strategically: Share disaggregated reading data with staff and families to highlight gaps and progress.
• Mobilize Networks: Connect with other principals, district leaders, and advocacy groups to amplify literacy priorities.

Principals as Policy Advocates

Beyond their schools, principals can influence state-level literacy policy by:

• Testifying at Legislative Hearings: Sharing firsthand experiences of literacy challenges and successes.
• Joining Advocacy Coalitions: Partnering with organizations like EdTrust to push for equitable reforms.
• Engaging Policymakers: Meeting with state officials to highlight the importance of funding evidence-based interventions.
• Elevating Student Voices: Showcasing student stories and outcomes to make the case for policy change.

The literacy crisis is both unacceptable and avoidable. Principals hold the power to transform reading instruction in their schools and influence broader state policy.

By these six principles, implementing equitable practices locally, and advocating boldly at the state level, principals can ensure that every child—regardless of background—has the opportunity to become a skillful, engaged reader.