Elementary Teacher Preparation Policy
The state should ensure that new elementary teachers demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the science of reading instruction. This goal has been revised since 2017.
Texas will require all new elementary teachers to pass a rigorous test of reading instruction in 2021. The Science of Teaching Reading (293) test is a comprehensive assessment that specifically tests the five components of scientifically based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
NCTQ also commends states using the Foundations of Reading assessment to confirm that new elementary teachers are well grounded in scientifically based reading instruction. Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin each use this state-of-the-art test.
State requires a test that fully measures candidates' knowledge of the science of reading for licensure. : AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, MD, MI, MN, MS, NC, NH, NM, OH, OK, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI
State requires a test that measures candidates' knowledge of the science of reading for licensure but combines this subject with other core subject areas under the same score.: PA, WA
State requires a test, but it does not measure candidates' knowledge of all components of the science of reading for licensure. : DC, DE, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MO, NJ, NV, RI, SC, VT, WV, WY
State does not require a test that measures candidates' knowledge of the science of reading, or it allows some candidates to bypass the test.: AZ, GA, HI, IA, IL, MT, ND, NE, NY, OR, SD
Footnotes
IL: Illinois is phasing out its Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) [#197-200] which contained separately scored English Language arts subtest. Beginning March 2021, all elementary candidates in Illinois will be required to pass the new ILTS Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) [#305] assessment, which report a single score for all subject areas.
MA: In addition to the Foundations of Reading test, candidates in Massachusetts have the option of meeting this test requirement by passing the MTEL Reading Specialist test. This test assesses the components of the science of reading instruction, but includes references to standards that are not aligned with the science of reading.
ME: Additionally, Maine also offers an early elementary license covering grades K-3. Early elementary candidates are required to pass the Praxis Education of Young Children (5024) test, which does not cover the science of reading instruction.
NC: Teachers have until their third year to pass the reading test.
NJ: The state also allows an exemption to candidates who have failed to meet the passing score by five percent if they have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
TN: Tennessee allows teachers to delay passage of content and pedagogy tests if they possess a bachelor's degree in a core content area.
State requires elementary preparation programs standards to address the components of the science of reading instruction. : AL, AR, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV
State does not require elementary preparation program standards to address the components of the science of reading instruction. : AK, AZ, CT, DC, HI, KY, ME, MT, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, RI, SD, WI, WY
Footnotes
KS: Kansas' elementary education unified preparation standards, but not its elementary K-6 standards, address the science of reading instruction.
MI: Beginning in Fall 2021, Michigan will offer early elementary (PreK-3) and upper elementary (grades 3-6) licenses. New preparation standards for these licenses address the five elements of scientifically based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
2C: Teaching Elementary Reading
Teaching children to read is the most important task teachers undertake. Over the past 60 years, scientists from many fields have worked to determine how people learn to read and why some struggle. This science of reading has led to breakthroughs that can dramatically reduce the number of children destined to become functionally illiterate or barely literate adults, identifying five components of effective instruction. In fact, most reading failure can be avoided by routinely applying the lessons learned from the scientific findings in the classroom. Estimates indicate that the current failure rate of 20 to 30 percent could be reduced to 2 to 10 percent.[1]
Scientific research has shown that there are five essential components of effective reading instruction: explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.[2] Many states' policies still do not reflect the strong research consensus in reading instruction that has emerged over the last few decades. Many teacher preparation programs resist teaching scientifically-based reading instruction. Reports by NCTQ on teacher preparation, beginning with What Education Schools Aren't Teaching about Reading and What Elementary Teachers Aren't Learning in 2006 and continuing through the Teacher Prep Review in 2016 have consistently found the overwhelming majority of teacher preparation programs across the country do not train teachers in the science of reading, although the most recent Teacher Prep Review did find signs of improvement.[3] Whether through standards or coursework requirements, states must direct programs to provide this critical training. But relying on programs alone is insufficient; states must only grant licenses to new elementary teachers who can demonstrate they have the knowledge and skills to teach children to read.
Most current reading tests do not offer assurance that teachers know the science of reading. A growing number of states, such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia, require strong, stand-alone assessments entirely focused on the science of reading.[4] Other states rely on either pedagogy tests or content tests that include items on reading instruction. However, since reading instruction is addressed only in one small part of most of these tests, it is often not necessary to know the science of reading to pass.[5] States need to make sure that a teacher candidate cannot pass a test that purportedly covers reading instruction without knowing the critical material.
College- and career-readiness standards require significant shifts in literacy instruction. College- and career-readiness standards for K-12 students adopted by nearly all states require from teachers a different focus on literacy integrated into all subject areas. The standards demand that teachers are prepared to bring complex text and academic language into regular use, emphasize the use of evidence from informational and literary texts and build knowledge and vocabulary through content-rich text. While most states have not ignored teachers' need for training and professional development related to these instructional shifts, few states have attended to the parallel need to align teacher competencies and requirements for teacher preparation so that new teachers will enter the classroom ready to help students meet the expectations of these standards.[6]