26 ACSA North State PD Conference

In today’s schools, literacy isn't just a teaching challenge—it’s a leadership imperative. Sustainable success depends on mastering the "decoding threshold," the critical neuro-cognitive tipping point where phonics accuracy transforms into independent reading. When students stall here, it creates a systemic bottleneck that drains resources and hinders long-term growth.
This session empowers leaders to look beyond basic phonics and address the "how much" and "how fast" of reading through a lens of thriving-sustainability. We will examine how automaticity reduces cognitive load, allowing students—and instructional systems—to flourish. Learn how to lead a transformative shift in your school’s literacy culture, moving from laborious, fragmented instruction to a streamlined, fluent approach that ensures no student remains "stuck" at the threshold.