Tomball ISD’s Dr. Ashley Schlafly Named TCTELA Literacy Leader of the Year

TOMBALL — Tomball ISD is proud to announce that Dr. Ashley Schlafly, Director of Advanced Academics & Secondary RLA, has been named the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (TCTELA) Literacy Leader of the Year, a distinguished statewide honor recognizing exceptional leadership in advancing literacy for all students.

Presented annually by TCTELA, the Dr. Roni Dean-Burren Literacy Leader of the Year Award celebrates campus and district leaders who significantly support ELA teachers and strengthen literacy across classrooms, campuses, and entire school districts.

“This honor reflects not only my work but the collective effort of the teams I am fortunate to work alongside,” Dr. Schlafly shared. “Personally, it reinforces my belief that literacy is a service to students. Professionally, it affirms our district’s shared commitment to placing strong literature, thoughtful instruction, and real critical thinking at the center of our classrooms.”

Dr. Schlafly, now in her sixth year with Tomball ISD and fifth year in her current role, leads districtwide efforts to strengthen literacy instruction and support teachers at all levels. She attributes the district’s success to strong collaboration among instructional leaders, campus principals, and classroom educators.

“Our literacy progress has been possible because it is shared work across the district,” she said. She credits Superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Michael Webb, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amy Schindewolf, district academic leaders, and key partners—including Lauren Thompson, Elementary RLA Coordinator, and Jay DeCoste, Secondary Content Specialist—for helping bring the district’s literacy vision to life. 

“Most importantly, our RLA teachers carry this work into classrooms every day, and their expertise and commitment make acceleration possible.”

Known for her teacher-centered leadership approach, Dr. Schlafly supports ELA teachers by building strong partnerships, listening closely to their needs, and ensuring they feel equipped and valued. 

“Teachers do the real lifting in classrooms,” Dr. Schlafly said. “My role is to clear barriers, provide tools that matter, and advocate for what strengthens their practice.”

Her leadership has contributed to significant gains across the district, particularly at the secondary level.

“Through Dr. Schlafly's visionary leadership, Tomball ISD has achieved remarkable success in secondary Reading Language Arts,” Dr. Michael Webb, Tomball ISD Chief Academic Officer said. “Our district's student achievement in secondary RLA stands at No. 1 among all Region 4 districts and is highly competitive among comparative districts statewide.”

Dr. Webb also noted her influence beyond literacy instruction.

“Her leadership efforts have led to an increase of over 25% in UIL Academic participation across the district and increased GT identification rates,” he said. “She has also enriched our academic landscape and rigor by bringing the Advanced Academic Research Conference to Tomball ISD. This initiative provides students with a unique platform to present their research and engage in meaningful academic discourse, fostering a deeper love for learning and intellectual exploration.”

Dr. Schlafly’s balanced leadership approach pairs data-driven decision making with a focus on human experience.

 “I see data as a guide, not a verdict,” she explained. “When we honor both the numbers and the lived experiences of our teachers and students, we create a system that grows stronger without losing sight of the people at its center.”

Before joining Tomball ISD, Dr. Schlafly served as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, professor at the University of Houston, and worked in the nonprofit sector supporting literacy development. She joined Tomball ISD as an Academic Specialist before moving into her current role overseeing Advanced Academics.

Tomball ISD celebrates Dr. Schlafly for her transformative work and leadership that continues to elevate literacy, strengthen instructional practice, and expand academic opportunity for students.

The TCTELA Literacy Leader of the Year Award will be presented to Dr. Schlafly at the TCTELA Conference, which takes place January 30-February 1 at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD

Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 23,000 students across 25 campuses.