“Prioritize and focus on [accelerating reading achievement]. If our kids can’t read, they can’t access anything. If you’re not making it a priority, you’re doing a disservice to kids.” - Dr. Jermall Wright, Superintendent of Little Rock School District 

On this episode of the Science of Reading Leadership, Dr. Jermall Wright, Superintendent of Little Rock School District, joins us to highlight the district's significant achievements in implementing the Science of Reading research.

We explore

• the district’s commitment to early literacy
• how an innovative partnership to provide personalized tutoring transforms elementary students’ reading achievement
• challenges of leading literacy initiatives
• the importance of professional development for teachers

Don't miss Dr. Wright's biggest piece of advice for accelerating reading achievement — it may seem straightforward, but its effect is profound.



In this episode:

00:00 Historic Little Rock District and the Science of Reading

01:37 Partnership with Ignite Reading to provide one-on-one tutors for students

03:10 Preparing teachers to teach reading with high-quality instructional materials

04:25 Supporting district leaders to lead literacy 

06:17 Challenges and importance of prioritizing literacy initiatives

Connect with Dr. Wright

Website

Twitter

Science of Reading Resources

The Science of Reading: What You Need to Know

A Guide to High-Quality Structured Literacy Materials

If you liked this episode, listen to this one with Dr. Sarah Lupo next.