The purpose of this study was to explore how leadership approaches can inform and direct the way leadership is practiced in elementary schools. In this study, the researcher examined the impact of leadership approaches on the sustainability of the implementation of the Reading Recovery program regarding reading achievement. Early primary school educators are facing the challenge of ensuring reading success for all students by the end of the third grade, regardless of their reading readiness. Therefore, it is imperative the leadership approaches, effective literacy leadership, and an early intervention program truly close the achievement gap and the reading achievement results sustain over time. This study may offer educational leaders insight on how the leadership approaches affect reading achievement and insight into whether Reading Recovery as an early intervention program is the best use of educational funding for at-risk struggling readers in elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the maintenance of literacy gains and reading achievement, literacy learning progress, and Reading Recovery as an insurance policy against the risk of having children with literacy difficulties in subsequent years. A sequential mixed-methods design was used to collect the data. This multiple-case study analyzed part of a district and schools in an in-depth way to see what impact literacy leadership has on sustaining reading ability. Evidence from the 2017 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program and 2016--2017 District Reading Assessments scores were analyzed to indicate student success regarding sustainability of Reading Recovery students who were successfully discontinued and maintained third-grade-level reading. Principals and teachers were interviewed at the three schools that scored the highest student sustained reading achievement. Overall, the themes in reference to effective literacy principal, initiatives, literacy vision, leadership approaches, Reading Recovery Program, professional development, and instruction were the importance of making data-driven decisions, implementing collaboration time, valuing teachers, writing school improvement plans, providing professional development, and implementing the district reading protocol. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]