Leading with Literacy: 10 Essentials Every Administrator Should Know

Written by Dr. Amanda Malone, Mississippi State Literacy Director and Kelli Crain, Valerie Gilbert, and Jill Hoda, Assistant State Literacy Directors

What helps equip school and district administrators with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to drive literacy growth system-wide? Enter: Leading with Literacy – 10 Essentials Every Administrator Should Know. The Mississippi Department of Education, Division of Literacy has developed a professional development series for administrators across our state that dives into each of these essentials. 
Before you open the door to these essentials, consider these questions: What should every principal know about teaching students to read and supporting struggling readers? If you were mentoring new administrators, what would you ensure they knew about supporting all students in literacy?

Now, let’s explore the ten essentials that form the foundation of effective literacy leadership, identify what areas may be overlooked, and determine how current practices align with what students truly need.

1. The Science of Reading  

Every school leader must understand the Science of Reading, a vast body of research from cognitive science, linguistics, and education that explains how students learn to read, why some struggle, and how to best teach reading and writing. In Mississippi, AIM Pathways courses help support the translation of this research into classroom practice. Practitioners who have knowledge of the Science of Reading are better prepared to reflect on their practices as well as critically analyze curricula and resources for instruction.  

2. Instructional Models That Support the Science of Reading

Leaders should also be familiar with the theoretical models The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) and Scarborough’s Rope (Scarborough, 2001), which illustrate that reading comprehension depends on both language comprehension and word recognition. Educators must teach decoding skills alongside language development – not as separate skills – to achieve the outcome of skilled reading. Administrators who understand and utilize instructional models can better support instructional planning, professional learning, and curriculum alignment with the Science of Reading.

3. Structured Literacy vs. Balanced Literacy

Proudly, Mississippi is a structured literacy state. We embrace this approach that is explicit (direct with clear modeling), systematic and sequential (skills built logically), cumulative (new skills built on prior ones), and diagnostic (based on ongoing assessments). Mississippi does not align with balanced literacy approaches, which often rely on cueing and leveled texts, leave struggling readers behind, and encourage less-efficient reading practices. Administrators must ensure that instruction aligns with structured literacy principles to build foundational skills and foster reading success for all students.

4. Standards-Aligned Instruction vs. Standards-Based Instruction

Standards-aligned instruction ensures that every component – lesson, assessment, and task – is purposefully connected to the standards. Standards-based instruction references the standards in isolation. True alignment requires knowledge of best practices in teaching and learning, an understanding that standard mastery takes time, thoughtful planning, and focused preparation. Standards spiral across high-quality instructional materials, affording repeated exposure to conceptual ideas through topics, vocabulary, and text types. Standards-aligned instruction gives the text-first approach the spotlight. Leaders must promote instructional pacing that prioritizes depth over speed, the intent of standards over surface teaching, and coherency over fragmented instruction.  

5. High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)

Adopting a curriculum is not enough. Implementation matters. Some schools purchase high quality materials but allow them to sit on shelves, while others implement them with strict fidelity, teaching every lesson as designed. The most effective approach is implementation with integrity – using the full curriculum while allowing intentional teacher elevations that preserve core content and meet students’ needs. HQIM aligned with standards ensures coherence and access to quality instruction across classrooms and grade levels. Knowledge that supports the development of deeper comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking is built through complex texts.

6. Effective Tier I Instruction

Tier I is high-quality, grade-level instruction delivered to all students. When done effectively, it reduces the need for interventions. Differentiated Tier I instruction includes remediation and enrichment of skills. Tier II offers supplemental support for students who need it, and Tier III provides intensive, individualized intervention. Strong Tier I instruction is the backbone of an effective multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). Administrators should attentively protect the Tier I block. It is worth reiterating – all students deserve high-quality Tier I instruction!

7. Remediation, Enrichment, and Intervention

Leaders must distinguish between remediation, enrichment, and intervention and guide their staff in recognizing the differences so each can be leveraged effectively during instruction. Remediation addresses learning gaps at grade level. Enrichment allows students to go beyond the content and deepen their learning. Intervention is targeted support for students at risk of falling below grade level. Interventions must be proactive, intensive, and monitored through data. Remediation, enrichment, and intervention are all critical to a responsive instructional system and must be implemented with clarity and purpose.

8. Screeners, Diagnostics, and Progress Monitoring

Assessing literacy skills is essential. Screeners identify students at risk, diagnostics pinpoint areas of need, and progress monitoring checks the effectiveness of interventions. Together, these tools support personalized and data-driven instruction. Leaders should use assessments not just for compliance but as tools to help improve student learning outcomes. Reading proficiency, not just growth, should be the goal. Growth may bring students closer to grade level, but proficiency ensures they meet or exceed expectations. Students scoring at proficiency or above show true mastery, while less than proficient leaves gaps in understanding. Analyzing and planning with assessment results should guide educators in moving students from “meeting” to “mastering” standards and content, preparing them for rigorous academics and lifelong literacy.  

9. The Power of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

Effective PLCs are crucial for driving literacy improvement. In strong PLCs, expectations are set by the administrator, and educators analyze data to inform instruction, identify student needs, plan remediation and enrichment, and co-develop and prepare lessons aligned to standards. Teachers study vertical alignment, discern complex texts and tasks, share strategies, and reflect on instructional practices. Instruction becomes more targeted, consistent, and student-centered. Leaders should ensure PLCs are structured, purposeful, and aligned to HQIM and the Science of Reading.

10. Effective Feedback for Growth

Leadership is not just about observing - it’s about coaching. Feedback should be specific, aligned to instructional goals, and focused on both teacher practice and student outcomes. Effective literacy leaders assess each of the 10 essentials within their individual educators. Is the essential well-implemented, in progress, or in need of significant improvement? Leaders can then identify two or three key areas and begin establishing action plans, setting timelines, assigning responsibilities, and monitoring progress using both student data and instructional evidence.

Leading with Intention

Literacy leadership requires deep understanding, strategic planning, and consistent action. Administrators who are knowledgeable about these essentials work to reflect, refocus, and lead schools where every student becomes a proficient reader. AIM Pathways provides deep understanding of the Science of Reading and best practices around structured literacy while bridging research with classroom instruction. This process intertwines each of these essentials and keeps the door open to growth and effective practice. Whether it is understanding the science behind reading or providing actionable feedback, literacy leadership designs systems in which teachers are equipped to deliver quality instruction where students are not just catching up—they are mastering content, and they are thriving. Literacy is a gift, and it is a human right. Informed leaders extend this gift and protect this right for every student in their care.

Hear from the Mississippi Team

Listen to MDE's Jill Hoda, Kelli Crain, and Katie Williamson dive into how Mississippi jumped from #49 in the nation for reading proficiency to #9, proof of what’s possible when literacy instruction is grounded in research and fueled by strong leadership.