Defense Date

3-17-2026

Graduation Date

Spring 5-9-2026

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

EdD

Department

Educational Studies (General Education)

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Amy M. Olson

Committee Member

Tara Abbott

Committee Member

Shannon Varley

Keywords

Science of Reading, Structured Literacy Legislation, Professional Development

Abstract

School districts across the United States have increasingly adopted structured literacy initiatives in response to growing concerns about early reading outcomes and policy mandates grounded in the science of reading. Despite substantial investments in professional development, less is known about how teachers experience implementation demands within authentic classroom contexts. This improvement study examined how evidence-based professional development influenced K–2 teachers’ self-efficacy, the barriers teachers encountered during structured literacy implementation, and the supports teachers perceived as most critical for sustained instructional change within Eagle Stone School District.

Grounded in Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Dweck’s Mindset Theory, this qualitative study explored teachers’ lived experiences following completion of Language Essentials for Teaching Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with K–2 classroom teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis procedures to identify recurring patterns related to implementation challenges and support structures.

Findings indicated that while teachers reported increased conceptual understanding of reading development and structured literacy practices, variability emerged in their perceived instructional self-efficacy under real-world classroom conditions. Time constraints, instructional complexity, and the demands of differentiating for students requiring intensive intervention, particularly Tier 3 learners, were identified as primary barriers to consistent implementation. Teachers consistently emphasized that professional development alone was insufficient to support sustained instructional change. Instead, job-embedded instructional coaching, data-informed instructional guidance, and structured collaboration emerged as the most influential supports for strengthening instructional decision-making and persistence.

This study highlights the importance of aligning professional learning with ongoing systems of instructional support and organizational conditions that enable teachers to translate knowledge into practice. Implications for district leadership include prioritizing coaching structures, protecting instructional planning time, and designing coherence across professional development, curriculum, and intervention systems to promote equitable literacy outcomes.

Language

English

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