Oklahoma Public School Resource Center -

Oklahoma Schools Lead the State in Reading Engagement at 2026 State Reading Championships

Springer Elementary and Purcell Intermediate Recognized for Exceptional Student Growth, Engagement, and Leadership

Oklahoma, USA — Two Oklahoma schools are proving what’s possible when leadership, teachers, and students rally around reading.

Today, Shoelace Learning celebrated the top-performing schools in the 2026 Oklahoma State Reading Championships: Springer Elementary, which finished 1st in the state, and Purcell Intermediate School, which secured 2nd place statewide.

The statewide tournament, delivered in partnership with the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC), challenged students to read more, practice more, and build mastery through meaningful engagement — and the results were extraordinary.

Springer Elementary: From Underdog to State Champion

Under the leadership of Superintendent Scott Webb and Principal Donielle Williams, Springer Elementary — a small rural school that has historically struggled with reading performance — rose to 1st place in the state.

The school hosted a full pep rally celebration attended by students, parents, local television media, and newspaper reporters. Families packed the gym to celebrate student achievement in reading — an unprecedented moment for the community.

One parent, whose daughter earned the longest reading streak in the school, shared:

“I wasn’t a reader. To see my daughter become one of the strongest readers in the school — and in the state — is overwhelming.”

Superintendent Webb noted that while the district has implemented other curriculum products in the past, they had never seen this level of sustained student engagement or accelerated skill development.

Principal Williams emphasized the depth of partnership:

“The level of partnership Shoelace has given our school is like nothing we’ve ever seen. They are on our team. They make it easy. Even in tight budget times, I would fight tooth and nail to keep this because of the impact it’s having.”

Purcell Intermediate: Mastery with Intention

At Purcell Intermediate, Principal Tina Swayze led her team to a 2nd place statewide finish through intentional implementation focused on mastery — not compliance.

Teachers used Shoelace as a real-time formative assessment tool, aligning reading practice directly with their core curriculum. Rather than treating reading practice as an add-on, educators used live data insights to:
• Identify skill gaps immediately
• Reinforce curriculum-aligned standards
• Prevent students from falling behind while pacing forward

Purcell also produced the highest question-answering student in the entire state during the tournament.

Principal Swayze was honored with the Founder’s Award — recognizing Purcell as the first school in Oklahoma to take a leap of faith and adopt Shoelace before statewide results were proven.

That leap has helped catalyze a movement now impacting thousands of students across Oklahoma.

Engagement Is the Intervention

Across both schools, student engagement was described by leaders as “off the charts.”

Students answered thousands of comprehension questions during the tournament, increasing both reading volume and accuracy. Teachers reported that students were not only reading more — they were reading with greater understanding and stamina.

Shoelace Learning provides the engagement and practice layer that supports teachers by handling:
• Real-time data analysis and insights
• Technical integration
• Curriculum alignment support
• Immediate formative assessment feedback

This allows educators to focus on teaching while ensuring students receive personalized, skills-based reading practice.

A Model for Oklahoma

The Oklahoma State Reading Championships demonstrate what is possible when districts invest in adolescent literacy and build cultures of celebration around academic achievement.

From rural Springer to Purcell, Oklahoma schools are showing that when leadership is bold and partnership is strong, students rise.

Julia Rivard Dexter, Founder & CEO of Shoelace Learning, shared:

“There is nothing more important than showing schools that we are right beside them. These principals, teachers, and families are proving that when students are engaged, they can compete — and win — at the highest levels. Oklahoma is building a model for the nation.”

As state leaders continue to prioritize literacy, the results from Springer and Purcell offer compelling evidence that engagement-first solutions can accelerate reading outcomes — even in communities that have historically struggled.