Arlington ISD recently showcased its commitment to strong literacy instruction during the TXRL Showcase, bringing together educators, district leaders, and partners from across the region to highlight the impact of the district’s work.
Hosted at Burgin Elementary, the showcase spotlighted a campus that has demonstrated notable student growth this school year while implementing the TXRL (Texas Reads Texas Leads) program. TXRL is a cohort-based, multi-year statewide initiative aimed at helping districts develop and implement science-based TXRL K-3 Literacy Plans, which detail strategic moves, decision points, and district investments to meet ambitious academic outcomes goals for early reading proficiency. 
From the beginning to the middle of the year, Burgin students have demonstrated measurable gains in early literacy, including increased reading development in kindergarten through second grade and continued academic progress in third grade. District leaders point to these results as evidence of a focused effort to strengthen classroom instruction and support teachers in delivering high-quality literacy practices.
“Everyone had the same tools that the district purchased for us so we could start day one being successful,” said Burgin principal Carin Tufts. “Over half of our students went from below and well below to meets and above.”
The event at Burgin welcomed members of the CA Group (TXRL grant funders), along with district leadership, board members, and educators from neighboring districts, creating a space to both celebrate progress and share best practices.
Attendees had the opportunity to see that work in action through classroom walkthroughs, where structured literacy practices were on full display. In addition to seeing instruction firsthand, guests heard directly from educators during a teacher panel, where classroom teachers shared how their instruction has evolved through the TXRL work and what that looks like day to day.
“The keywords were ‘ALL students learn how to read,’” said Goodman Elementary bilingual teacher Maira Black. “I had to shift my mindset and really be faithful and committed, and I’m seeing that all of my students are sounding out and reading in the classroom.”
Teachers also spoke about the process of implementing new practices and what it takes to make those changes stick over time.
“Know better, do better,” said Burgin first-grade teacher Wendy Fisher. “I had to figure out how this was going to fit into my teaching style. We implemented these shifts over time – baby steps to get to the final product.”
They emphasized that success comes from building strong systems and taking a thoughtful, step-by-step approach to instruction.
“Allowing ourselves to learn one component at a time, learn it well, implement it effectively, and build from there is the biggest piece of advice I would give,” said Webb Elementary bilingual teacher Eva Novella. “It is so important to develop a clear, consistent system, and you will start to see those gains in your students.”
The showcase also featured a principal panel, where campus leaders reflected on how TXRL has shaped instruction and outcomes across their schools, creating alignment and consistency for students.
“The alignment alone has been huge for my campus,” said Sherrod Elementary principal Karen Hicks. “I have a lot of teachers who are so eager to learn. TXRL has given them the tools, empowerment, and built capacity in these teachers so that our babies are reading now. It is all so aligned that at Sherrod it’s great, but if you go to Burgin, you’re going to see the same thing. If you go to Goodman, you’re going to see the same thing – it’s just so good that our kids don’t skip a beat. It’s been a game changer.”
That alignment and focus on literacy growth has led to measurable results across campuses, including significant improvement at schools that have embraced the work.
“When I started at Goodman, we were an underperforming campus, so we decided we were going to become a TXRL campus,” said Goodman Elementary principal Maria Guzman. “We are now a turnaround campus. We saw significant growth from the beginning of the year’s data to the middle of the year’s data. That speaks for itself.”
The TXRL Showcase reflected Arlington ISD’s ongoing commitment to literacy and ensuring every student builds the skills needed for long-term success.