The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has awarded St. Cloud State University an A+ grade in preparing elementary education majors to teach reading.
Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation spotlights how St. Cloud State is exceeding the standards set by literacy experts in covering the five most-effective components of research-based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
A child’s ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to NAEP data, four in ten fourth graders in Minnesota cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that.
“Our program is helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading,” said Dr. Melissa Hanzsek-Brill, dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. “This research-based instruction is essential for helping elementary students become successful readers.”
NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates, and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments, and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at St. Cloud State University.
View NCTQ’s report for more information about SCSU’s coverage of the science of reading and how the University compares to other programs in Minnesota and across the country.
