Have a question? Ask SSEW
Background
What teachers know and how they teach are among the most important factors in helping children learn to read.1,2,3
However, many early childhood educators begin their careers without specialized training in these areas, and even experienced teachers need support as the field has shifted from whole-language or phonics-based approaches to the Science of Reading.4,5 The Science of Reading is the explicit, systematic instruction of foundational literacy skills: phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language skills.
School and district leaders play a critical role in building systems for professional development that is sustained, job-embedded, and focused on changing instructional practice, not just increasing knowledge. Content should cover literacy development from birth through third grade and should be tailored to the unique needs of different learning environments, such as home-based care, early childhood centers, and elementary schools, integrating children’s home language and literacy experiences.6,7
Administrators can strengthen this work by encouraging collaboration across classrooms, organizing schedules for core and intervention programs, helping teachers use student data to guide instruction, and fostering a culture of ongoing learning and improvement.8 Administrators themselves must also have access to professional development that supports their understanding of evidence-based literacy and how to support teachers in implementing instructional practices. Ultimately, strong early literacy instruction depends on knowledgeable teachers who are supported by effective school leadership.
Recommendations
The following actions can help states and districts address the educator shortage.
Professional development for administrators should prioritize job-embedded opportunities, moving beyond one-time workshops by providing regular, hands-on learning opportunities such as coaching, model lessons, and collaborative reflection. Practice for administrators should include how to provide time, resources, and support to teachers, including how to implement continuous feedback.
Professional development for leaders should provide an understanding of how to support teacher use of the Science of Reading within developmentally appropriate, play-based learning environments. This includes supporting teachers in their instructional practices and offering coaching that aligns with research-based literacy methods.
Professional development for administrators should include how to build and maintain systems that help teachers use literacy assessment data to understand student needs, tailor instruction, and track progress. Leaders must establish systems to monitor how literacy practices are used in classrooms and how they impact student learning. By using data to guide improvements, offering targeted support, and recognizing progress, administrators help ensure that professional development leads to lasting change.
School leaders can create and sustain effective professional learning communities where educators share strategies, observe one another’s teaching, and work together to solve common challenges in early literacy instruction.
Administrators should implement strategies learned in professional development for partnering with families, sharing student progress, and leveraging home languages and literacy practices. Supporting school-wide efforts to connect classroom learning with families strengthens literacy development.
Resources
Brief
Joyful Early Literacy: Six Principles from Research 
This infographic from Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) West explains the principles of evidence-based early literacy instruction.
Guide
Self-study Guide for Implementing Early Literacy Interventions
This guide from REL Southeast helps district and school leaders conduct self-studies for planning and implementing early literacy interventions.
Guide
Developing Early Literacy Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
This guide from REL Southeast supports the development of PLCs to implement evidence-based literacy instruction.
Web Page
Instructional Coaching: Understanding the Role with Ready-to-Use Resources
This page from the National Center on Improving Literacy provides a range of instructional coaching resources that can support the delivery of evidence-based literacy practices in classrooms.
References
1 Exploring the Nature of Associations Between Educators’ Knowledge and Their Emergent Literacy Classroom Practices (Shayne V. Piasta et al.)
2 Examining Teachers’ Early Writing Knowledge and Practices (Gary E Bingham et al.)
3 Starting Small: Building Preschool Teacher Knowledge That Supports Early Literacy Development (Anne E. Cunningham et al.)
4 Effective Teacher Professional Development (Lisa Darling-Hammond et al.)
5 Promoting Language and Literacy Development for Early Childhood Educators: A Mixed-Methods Study of Coursework and Coaching (Susan B. Neuman and Tanya S. Wright)
6 Developing literacy in second-language learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth (Diane August and Timothy Shanahan, eds.)
7 Advancing Early Literacy Learning for All Children: Implications of the NELP Report for Dual-Language Learners (Kris D. Gutiérrez et al.)
8 Best Practices in Teachers’ Professional Development in the United States (Laura M. Desimone and Michael S. Garet)
