The role of the campus and district leader in developing effective reading programs is absolutely critical. The decisions made by campus and district leaders have an enormous influence over the quality of instruction that takes place in the classroom, and just as a strong teacher can have a huge influence over the reading success of students (see “I is for Instruction”), so too can a strong campus or district leader have a huge influence over the strength and effectiveness of the classroom teacher.
If there is one book that every campus and district leader should read, it is Allington and Cunningham’s book “Schools that Work: Where All Children Read and Write.” This book addresses the critical issues that are within the purview of campus and district leaders, such as
• Professional Development
• Budget and staffing
• Systemic reform
• Assessment
• Instructional materials
• Structuring time
• Family and community involvement
This book serves as an excellent bridge to help administrators cross the rift that lies between current practice and effective, successful school leadership in reading and writing.