Supporting Reading Instruction: An Administrator’s Perspective

There has been a lot of coverage on reading scores in the United States, with the 2022 NAEP results revealing significant declines in student proficiency since 2019 (source). There are various factors contributing to this issue, including disruptions caused by the pandemic, inequitable educational systems, and the ongoing “reading wars” debate on the best pedagogical approach (source).

In light of these challenges, school leaders face the difficulty of supporting teachers in addressing the diverse reading levels in their classrooms. Effectively differentiating instruction and implementing school-wide interventions to improve reading skills and provide a strong foundation for students’ future success becomes a complex task.

To gain insights into this leadership challenge, I spoke with Nicole Ey, the principal of Ellenville Elementary School in New York State and a 2022 NAESP National Distinguished Principal ( Back to blog