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The National Council on Teacher Quality published a report that
highlights five policy actions that states can take to support
teachers in the science of reading.
They include setting specific, detailed reading standards for
teacher prep programs; reviewing teacher prep programs to ensure
they teach the science of reading; adopting a strong elementary
reading licensure test; requiring districts to select a high
quality reading curriculum; and providing professional learning
for teachers and ongoing support to sustain the implementation
of the science of reading.
Illinois received a “weak” rating because it lacks strong
policies in two of the five key policy actions to strengthen
reading instruction: Requiring districts to select a
high-quality reading curriculum, and providing professional
learning for teachers and ongoing support to sustain the
implementation of the science of reading.
NCTQ President Heather Peske said the latest National Assessment
of Educational Progress that showed that 38% of Illinois fourth
graders could not read at a basic level is sobering.
“Even worse is that students who have historically been
marginalized in Illinois schools, like Hispanic students,” said
Peske. “Fifty-one percent of Hispanic students in Illinois
cannot read at the basic level.
The number is even higher for Black students at 62%, and
students from low-income communities at 55%.
States identified as strong include Arkansas, Colorado, Florida,
Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia. The report said these
states nearly always address all five actions and a majority of
indicators to support teachers in the science of reading.
In October, the Illinois State Board of Education released the
annual school report card that showed average proficiency rates
were still below pre-pandemic levels, but there was some
improvement over the previous year in reading and math.
Illinois Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said the state
has a “significant distance to travel” toward recovery after
pandemic-era school closures caused record-low proficiency rates
statewide.
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