The State Education Department (SED) is developing a plan to improve literacy instruction in public schools by infusing curriculum, educator preparation programs and certification requirements with evidence-based teaching practices collectively referred to as "the science of reading."

A steering committee spearheading this effort detailed their progress and outlined potential action areas at the June meeting of the Board of Regents meeting. An action plan will be developed over the summer.

The state budget approved by New York lawmakers this spring directs SED to provide school districts with instructional best practices for the teaching of reading in grades pre-K-3 by Jan. 1, 2025. The legislation specifies that the methods must be based on the science of reading.

Efforts to fulfill that requirement are underway. In the fall, the agency announced that it is developing a literacy initiative for grades pre-K through college that draws upon the science of reading. Officials noted that many New York students are not proficient readers. And in 2023, SED announced that it was one of six states selected to participate in the Duke University-affiliated Hunt Institute's Path Forward initiative, which aims to integrate science of reading principles, such as rigorous phonics instruction, into teacher training programs. Read the full article