Fensterwald, J. (2024, February 7). Setting aside local control, legislation would mandate how to teach reading in California. https://edsource.org/2024/reversing-local-control-legislation-would-mandate-how-to-teach-reading-in-california
Introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, Assembly Bill (AB) 2222 aims to address low literacy rates by mandating evidence-based reading instruction methods – sometimes called the “science of reading” – for TK-5 education. This represents a shift from the state's current policy of local control, allowing school districts to choose their own curriculums and methods, towards a more standardized and mandated approach. The legislation also includes requirements for teacher training, textbook selection, and accountability measures to ensure the effectiveness of reading instruction programs. Advocates for the bill argue that AB 2222 is necessary to address the urgent need for improving literacy among California's children, particularly in the face of stark disparities in reading proficiency across different demographic groups..
Holston, S. (2024). Five policy actions to strengthen implementation of the science of reading. https://www.nctq.org/dmsView/Print-Ready_SOTS_2024_Five_policy_actions_for_reading.
This paper highlights five policy recommendations aimed at improving reading instruction in schools across the country. These proposals include prioritizing evidence-based reading instruction in teacher preparation programs, ensuring alignment between state standards and reading assessments, implementing early literacy screening and intervention programs, providing targeted support for struggling readers, and fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making at all levels of education governance. The recommendations are grounded in evidence-based research and aim to address longstanding challenges in literacy education, particularly concerning disparities in reading proficiency among various student populations.
For the purposes of our meeting, please read pages 1–23.