Every morning, we seem to wake up to more and more uncertainty. Whether it’s concerns about inflation, tariffs, shrinking budgets, or national-level debates about the future of education, the noise can feel overwhelming. Regardless of the social networks we follow, or the news sources we read, it feels like there are so many issues that are out of our control.
When the two of us talk with teachers and leaders directly, the real concerns for them come into a sharper focus. Educators are thinking less about politics and more about practical, immediate issues such as teacher burnout or attrition, student absenteeism, and disengagement in the classroom. These are the challenges they’re trying to solve on a daily basis.
A Renewed Focus on Literacy
What doesn’t always get the attention it deserves is the meaningful work happening in schools, especially around literacy. The national rhetoric is too often centered on what schools aren’t doing, which is unfortunate and doesn’t help alleviate the issues we cite above.
Across districts, educators are focused on three main areas: literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning … without, of course, calling it social-emotional learning because that’s a politically charged statement.
Too often, though, we find that the problems associated with literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning fall under large umbrellas and breaking them down to a granular level to solveis often lost or misunderstood.
That’s where a theory of action becomes essential. A good one slows us down just enough to ask the right questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? And how will we know if it’s making a difference?
The two of us used to look at theories of actions as a simple “if, then” statement. We have found over time that it takes work and that work is not always so simple. Conversations fabout data and evidence, as well as the assumptions we make, especially where student and parent demographics are concerned, need to be addressed in the process as well.
In our work, we have taken the theory of action process and not just extended it but made it simpler for leaders and teachers to align the data they spend so much time collecting to their theory of action. We connect what we’re doing (inputs), how we’re doing it (strategies), and what we hope to achieve (outcomes), all with an eye toward equity and sustainability.
A Closer Look: Literacy Through the Lens of a Theory of Action
For example, in our work with schools, we’ve seen how a Theory of Action addressing literacy can provide both structure and inspiration. When reading and writing scores fall short year after year, the issue isn’t always a lack of effort. More often, it’s a combination of factors:
- Limited professional learning in effective literacy practices.
- Inconsistent use of assessment data.
- Instruction that doesn’t feel relevant or engaging.
- A disconnect between classroom learning and students’ real-world experiences.
Along with schools and districts, we’ve developed a literacy-focused Theory of Action that addresses these challenges. Here’s an example:
If we provide teachers with sustained professional learning in literacy strategies—including English-learner integration, data-driven planning, and assessment literacy, And support collaborative instructional teams in designing engaging, real-world literacy experiences, Then students will experience instruction that meets them where they are and accelerates their growth, So That all learners, particularly those historically underserved, become more confident and capable in reading and writing.
Why does this matter? Too often, we find people don’t want to put the work into developing a theory of action because it takes too long. The problem with that level of thinking is that ignoring the process of crafting one leads to flawed implementation that produces frustration and isn’t impactful.
Theories of action are a guide to create alignment across classrooms, teams, and leadership. And most importantly, they give everyone a shared understanding of the work ahead.
In the End: Begin with Clarity
When the noise gets loud and the path forward feels unclear, one of the most practical things we can do is take a step back and ask: Do we have a clear Theory of Action guiding our decisions?
If the answer is no, it’s worth pausing to create one. If the answer is yes, revisit it often. Let it ground your next conversation, your next planning session, your next leadership move.
Because in a time when distractions are everywhere, clarity is still one of the most powerful tools we have.
