Elementary education program earns A+ from National Council on Teacher Quality

The June 9 report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, spotlights teacher education at Boise State for meeting the literacy experts' standards for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction.

According to the report, Boise State's program prepares aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary. Boise State's program also avoids instructional pitfalls that research shows are ineffective for teaching children to read.

Improving literacy across Idaho

Research proves that a child's ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes their education and life going forward, yet according to data collected by The Nation's Report Card, four in ten fourth graders in Idaho cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that - but only if it is aligned to research-backed instructional methods.

Teacher education programs at Boise State are part of a growing group of programs nationwide helping transform how future teachers learn to teach reading.

"At Boise State, we have invested in faculty professional development and closely aligned our program with research on effective literacy instruction," said Sherry Dismuke, associate dean for educator preparation and undergraduate programs. "We have partnered closely with other Idaho institutions to ensure Idaho teachers are well prepared to deliver instruction that supports the development of literacy skills from birth through 12th grade."

"Every child deserves a teacher who has been well prepared to teach reading, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed," said NCTQ President Heather Peske. "Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but Boise State is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like."

Exceeding goals through research-supported tactics

A panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates and measurement experts informs NCTQ's methodology. 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 Boise State.

To earn an A grade, programs must demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoid teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research. To earn an A+, programs must exceed those targets and not teach any instructional practices that are unsupported by research.

Share This

• Share on Facebook
• Share on X
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share through Email