North Carolina has made historic investments in aligning reading instruction with the Science of Reading (SoR). More than 44,000 educators have completed LETRS training. But one critical question remains:
Are schools structured to support this work every day?
The North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s fifth implementation brief, Creating a Master Schedule that Maximizes the Literacy Block, examines how school schedules either accelerate or unintentionally hinder effective literacy instruction.
While professional development equips teachers with knowledge, the master schedule determines whether they have the time and structure to implement it. This brief highlights how strong scheduling decisions protect instructional minutes, prioritize foundational skills, and ensure small-group and intervention time are built into the school day.
Key insights include:
- A protected, uninterrupted literacy block is essential for effective Science of Reading instruction.
- Fragmented schedules reduce opportunities for explicit phonics, fluency practice, vocabulary development, and comprehension work.
- School leaders play a critical role in aligning staffing, intervention time, and collaborative planning within the master schedule.
- Intentional scheduling promotes equity by ensuring all students receive consistent, high-quality literacy instruction.
This is the fifth in an eight-part Science of Reading implementation series developed through NCECF’s Science of Reading Fellowship. Together, the briefs surface practical strategies from educators across North Carolina who are working to translate research into daily classroom practice.