Ohio Educational Leaders’ Perspectives on Barriers to Implementing the Science of Reading

Date of Award

8-15-2026

Degree Name

Ed.S. in School Psychology

Department

Department of Counselor Education & Human Services

Advisor/Chair

Elana Bernstein

Abstract

The Science of Reading (SoR) is a body of research that provides empirical evidence for how children acquire language & successfully learn to read (Gentry & Ouellette, 2019). As more states require adoption of SoR-aligned curriculum, schools may need additional support to ensure implementation fidelity and positive student outcomes. Ohio passed House Bill 33 in 2023, which mandates that schools implement a state-approved SoR-aligned curriculum by the start of the 2024-2025 school year. This qualitative study examined the perspectives of eight educational leaders in Ohio to identify barriers they have encountered when implementing the SoR using the TASKS framework outlined by (Yang et al., 2021). Participants were interviewed via Zoom, and a thematic analysis was used to identify key themes, which were assigned to specific categories and charted into a framework matrix as outlined by Gale et al. (2013). Thematic analysis produced eight themes, and findings suggest that SoR implementation is impacted by knowledge, resource, emotion, and logic barriers. The barriers suggest the need for ongoing support for schools and educators at the individual and systems levels. Understanding these barriers may help school districts plan proactive methods for supporting school staff and mitigate potential implementation barriers.

Keywords

Curricula, Education, Education Policy, Educational Leadership, Elementary Education, Literacy, Reading Instruction, School Administration, Teaching

Rights Statement

Copyright 2026, author

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