Over the past decade, many states have embraced the "science of reading," an interdisciplinary body of research about what works and matters most in teaching students to read. In 2021, North Carolina passed the Excellent Public Schools Act to advance teachers' understanding and use of science of reading practices, and the state's approach has since emerged as an exemplar of policy implementation. As of June 2024, 44,000 pre-K through 5th grade teachers in all 115 North Carolina school districts had completed required training in the science of reading, reaching nearly 700,000 students. Recent data suggests the state's efforts are having a positive impact on students. In each of the three years since the law was enacted, North Carolina's K-3 students have outperformed the national average on the end-of-year DIBELS-8 assessment, and in 2024 a larger percentage of North Carolina students were rated to be "on track" than the national average in all four grade levels tested. North Carolina's approach to implementation is instructive for multiple reasons. In order to successfully reach so many teachers in a short period of time, the state had to navigate a decentralized governance system and build systems-wide support for a major reform following the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, by investing heavily in district capacity and support, state leaders ensured that teachers would not only receive adequate training but also be equipped to apply it in their classroom practice. This case study highlights three key elements of North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's (NCDPI's) implementation of the Excellent Public Schools Act: Internal Policy Alignment, Capacity Building and Resource Allocation, and Stakeholder Communications.