Part 5/8:
One obstacle to mainstreaming phonics is political and leadership hesitancy. Cantwell explains that some districts and states have lacked the leadership vision necessary to prioritize research-backed methods. The politicization of educational strategies, often viewed through ideological lenses, hampers the adoption of effective programs like phonics.
Moreover, there is frequent turnover in curricula, with schools changing reading programs every few years, leading to unused materials and confusion among educators. This lack of consistency undermines the potential for sustained improvements in literacy.