From Vision to Systems: How Aligning Visions with Systems Can Transform Secondary Reading Outcomes

Doc Holbrook with Michael Fullan’s Change Leader. His work has shaped my admin style—reminding me that real change comes from culture, capacity, and moral purpose.

When I stepped into my role as a K–12 administrator, I knew exactly what we needed to do at the elementary level: align around an evidence-based program, update our assessments, and retrain teachers. I came from the elementary classroom, so I understood the path forward to improve reading outcomes.

But improving secondary reading outcomes was a different story.

The Middle School Challenge

Our middle schools run grades 5–8. At the time, grades 5–6 had what was called an “extension period.” On paper, it was time for small-group instruction. In reality, it often turned into centers, computer programs, makeup work, or extra time to finish assignments.

Meanwhile, only about 30% of our students were proficient in reading. The gaps were enormous. I knew they wouldn’t close on their own—and without bold changes, they would only widen.

I also knew I needed more information. So, at the end of the year, I asked 4th- and 5th-grade teachers to administer the Words Their Way spelling inventory. Over the summer, I sorted students by developmental stage and matched each stage to the Phonics for Reading program (Curriculum Associates). We reorganized the extension period into targeted WIN (What I Need) rotations for grades 5–6.

Problem solved. Or so I thought.

Roadblocks Along the Way and the Implementation Dip

Teacher Input and Knowledge

All was going well over the summer. I got the information to guidance in a timely fashion, and it felt like we were off to a strong start.

And then the teachers came back.

That’s when the reality of change hit. Teachers were frustrated that I had sorted the data without their input. They didn’t like losing their homeroom groups to rotation. Some felt 5th graders were too young to switch classes. Others worried about lost time for makeup work.

And the biggest obstacle? Many teachers didn’t know how to teach phonics. Some had never taught primary grades, and the idea of delivering explicit word study lessons to 11-year-olds was intimidating.

This is where Michael Fullan’s insight rang true: educational change depends on what teachers do and think. It’s as easy and as complex as that.

I couldn’t just drop a new structure into place and expect it to work. Teachers had to believe it was worth doing, and they had to feel confident in their own capacity to do it. Fortunately, Phonics for Reading is designed for middle schoolers—it provides a clear, teacher-friendly script. But the program alone wasn’t enough. I paired it with short, targeted professional development sessions and side-by-side coaching. With practice, teachers grew more confident. And once they had some success under their belts, they started to see the potential.

Administrative Pushback

The main office wasn’t thrilled either. Guidance had to rework schedules by hand, and principals fielded wave after wave of complaints.

I won’t sugarcoat it: the first two months were messy. I changed systems that had been in place for years. Teachers were frustrated, administrators were exhausted, and I felt caught in the middle. Some days, I wanted to give in and pull back.

But I didn’t. I leaned on what I call my moral compass: every child deserves the chance to learn how to read, no matter their age. Fullan reminds us that leaders have to ride the “implementation dip”—that period when things look worse before they get better. Staying the course is part of the work of leadership.

So I stayed the course.

Behavior Before Belief

One of the most powerful shifts came not from data, but from what teachers observed in their own classrooms.

During a 6th-grade team meeting, a veteran teacher who had been openly skeptical shared a story. In her social studies class, students had started scooping syllables to read words like paleolithic and neolithic. She admitted she had never seen them even attempt words like that before. And now, they weren’t just trying—they were succeeding. The room went quiet, and from that point on, the complaints from that team stopped.

For others, the turning point came with the midyear data. The results were undeniable:

• Students moved across stages.

• Groups on grade level jumped from one to three.

• Kids surpassed their stretch goals on diagnostics.

When teachers saw both student behaviors changing and the data reflecting real growth, belief followed. Fullan was right: practice shifts first, and belief comes after teachers experience success.

Extending to Grades 7–8

In our district, grades 5–6 are taught by elementary teachers. Although they are in a middle school setting, the elementary mindset and training still exist. That made change a little easier to introduce because those teachers were already closer to foundational reading instruction. But I knew that once we hit 7th grade and up, the challenge would be greater.

These teachers had no training in reading instruction whatsoever. I didn’t expect to walk in and make an immediate shift. Instead, I started laying the groundwork years in advance. We reviewed data together, and I listened. Over and over, secondary teachers expressed concern about their students’ lack of reading and writing ability. Many admitted that they ended up reading aloud most of the time just to get through content. Others shared the pressure they felt to cover grade-level texts on a set schedule, even when their students clearly lacked the skills to engage with those texts independently.

What struck me most was that teachers recognized the problem themselves. Several said they couldn’t teach the way they were trained because the kids didn’t have the foundational skills. The idea of a separate reading class wasn’t uniquely mine—the teachers saw the need too.

Here’s where I sometimes veer from what I hear other administrators say. Many of my colleagues insist that teachers simply need to “do more”—that scaffolding is enough. And while I agree that we all can and should do more, I fundamentally disagree with the notion that you can teach a student to read in the middle of an 8th grade English class while simultaneously teaching Anne Frank. Yes, you can scaffold to help them through complex text. But scaffolding alone won’t close foundational gaps. Students who are that far behind require systematic, explicit instruction. And at this developmental stage, the only way to provide it is through a separate, dedicated reading class.

That’s the direction we took. Using the spelling inventory process, we identified students who needed phonics instruction. Guidance and principals worked tirelessly to fit reading classes into schedules, sometimes making tough decisions and working directly with parents. In the end, we created small-group classes taught by English or reading teachers. These meet every other day and use Phonics for Reading. It’s still early, but for the first time, we have the right structure in place for older students to get the instruction they truly need.

Scaling Up to High School

The success at the middle school gave us momentum to move into the high school. We launched two dedicated reading classes, applying lessons I had learned along the way:

• I met with vice principals to build the student lists.

• I collaborated with teachers before school let out, so they were ready.

• I spent the first few weeks side by side with teachers, helping with assessments and setup.

Students now earn a half credit for the class (pass/fail), which has helped with buy-in from both staff and families. As with 7th–8th grade, we are just beginning this work at the high school level. We don’t yet have results, but for the first time, students who were never explicitly taught to read are finally getting systematic, targeted instruction in a class designed for that purpose.

Conclusion

Was it easy? No. It was hard, messy, and uncomfortable at times. Change always is. But staying anchored in the belief that all students deserve to learn how to read—no matter their age—kept me moving forward.

The work required more than a new program or new assessments. It required building teacher knowledge, shifting long-standing practices, and rethinking systems that had been in place for years. It meant listening to teacher concerns, honoring their expertise, and walking alongside them as they learned to do something many had never been trained to do: explicitly teach students how to read.

At times, it felt like pushing against the grain of how middle and high schools are traditionally structured. But every scheduling challenge, every tough conversation, every coaching session was worth it. Because today, our middle and high school students are finally getting explicit, systematic reading instruction many never received in the early grades. Teachers are no longer simply reading texts aloud to help students get by—they are equipping students with the skills to tackle those texts themselves.

And the payoff is clear: not just stronger data, but students unlocking words, ideas, and content that once felt out of reach. Teachers are beginning to see what’s possible, and belief is taking hold.

Because here’s the truth: kids don’t age out of learning to read—and schools don’t get to age out of teaching them. 

If we believe in equity, this is where it lives—not in slogans, but in classrooms where teachers are armed with knowledge, systems are built to support them, and students are given back the power of literacy.

When we know better, we teach better.

See you next Sunday.

References

Desimone, L. M., & Garet, M. S. (2015). Best practices in teachers’ professional development in the United States. Psychology, Society, & Education, 7(3), 252–263. https://doi.org/10.25115/psye.v7i3.515

Fullan, M. (2011). Change leader: Learning to do what matters most. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Goldberg, M. F. (2019). The challenge of adolescent literacy: A systems approach. Phi Delta Kappan, 100(7), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721719841330

Shanahan, T., & Shanahan, C. (2008). Teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents: Rethinking content-area literacy. Harvard Educational Review, 78(1), 40–59. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.78.1.v62444321p602101

Snow, C. E., & Moje, E. B. (2010). Why is everyone talking about adolescent literacy? Phi Delta Kappan, 91(6), 66–69. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171009100616