“I Fell in Love With It”: One Coach’s Literacy Journey in Louisiana

When Louisiana emerged as the only state to show gains in fourth-grade reading scores on the 2024 Nation’s Report Card from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the headlines focused on numbers. But in Lafourche Parish, one instructional coach knew exactly what had changed and why.

For Rhea Wescovich, an Elementary Curriculum Coach and member of Louisiana’s 2025-2026 Aspiring Principal Fellowship, the progress wasn’t abstract. It was visible in the classroom, tangible in the data. And personal to her journey as an educator.

“All of our principals, all of our leaders and all of our teachers were trained in the Science of Reading. With that first Pathways to Proficient Reading course, I was able to make those instant connections. I was able to take what I was learning in the Virtual Community of Practice sessions and modules and apply it to what I was teaching my students. I saw tremendous gains. That became the moment I fell in love with it. I wanted to know more. I wanted to keep going.”

Watch Rhea’s Story

Click below to hear Rhea share her experience in her own words.

That moment of falling in love with the work became a turning point. After completing Pathways to Proficient Reading, Rhea enrolled in Pathways to Structured Literacy to deepen her knowledge and sharpen her coaching skills.

“[Pathways to] Structured Literacy really gave me an in-depth understanding and an ability to work with kids to determine their strengths and weaknesses. It helped me to see the path: what they needed, where I needed to go. I don’t think I always had that before.”

Rhea first applied what she learned in Pathways to Proficient Reading in her own classroom as a teacher, seeing the direct impact on her students. Later, when she stepped into the role of Elementary Curriculum Coach, her reach expanded. She began sharing her literacy expertise across multiple schools and supporting fellow educators across a range of content areas.

“I was able to take [what I learned] and bring it back into my schools. I not only implemented it in my classroom, but supported teachers who are in other subject areas and teachers with internalization of lessons and planning of small groups and professional development. It’s made a huge difference in our school's gains.”

Her growth as a coach has been fueled by a belief that effective teaching and lasting change requires constant evolution.

“Teaching is not a profession that we can say, ‘Okay, I’m good. I got it.’ You can’t be complacent where you are because there are changes that are happening so fast. You really have to be committed to lifelong learning. Even if there’s not an opportunity for a professional development that might be at your school, you have to be eager to go find it on your own.”

For Rhea and her colleagues, AIM Pathways wasn’t just a training. It was a mindset shift that rippled outward into stronger instruction, shared language, and measurable student growth.

“AIM Pathways training made a huge difference in our gains. NAEP scores came out, and Louisiana was the only state to show an increase in fourth grade reading scores this year. That success made such a difference. The teachers realized we are making a difference.”

And in Lafourche Parish, Rhea is confident: this is only the beginning.

“I don’t think this is it for Louisiana or Lafourche Parish. I think we’ll just keep moving forward.”

Supporting Educators at Every Step

If you’re inspired by Rhea’s story, you’re not alone. AIM Pathways is helping educators across the world deepen their literacy practice, support their colleagues, and transform outcomes for students.

We believe every teacher deserves access to this kind of professional learning and every district can chart a path toward lasting impact.

Want to learn more about AIM Pathways? Talk to our team or explore our course offerings.

Hear from more educators like Rhea in our collection of stories highlighting how AIM Pathways is supporting lasting literacy change in classrooms nationwide.