NCTQ gives College’s elementary teacher prep program an A+ for teaching reading
West Lafayette, Indiana—The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program in Purdue University’s College of Education earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well they prepare future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.
- Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with Certification: A+ (View grade page)
The report, “Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation” (published June 9), spotlights the College of Education for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this means the elementary education program is preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of effective reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, and avoids many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.
A child’s ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, one in three fourth graders in Indiana cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most effective levers available to change that, but only if it is aligned to the research-based instructional methods that have been proven to help most students become successful readers.
Purdue’s College of Education is committed to preparing future teachers to help all students in all contexts succeed in the vital areas of reading and literacy.
“The College has long been a leader in preparing teachers to develop crucial literacy skills in their students” said Phillip J. VanFossen, the Suzi and Dale Gallagher Dean of Education. “We are delighted to know that NCTQ has confirmed what we have know for quite a long time: that our candidates are—according to principals and superintendents—the most ‘first-day ready’ in the state.”
“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 Heather Peske, NCTQ President. “Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but Purdue University is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”
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 Purdue University. To earn an “A,” programs needed to 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 on effective reading instruction. To earn an A+, programs needed to exceed those targets and not teach any instructional practices that are unsupported by research.
See NCTQ’s report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation for more information about Purdue University’s coverage of the science of reading and to see how Purdue’s Elementary Teacher Preparation program compares to other programs in Indiana or across the country.
About the Purdue College of Education
Purdue’s College of Education meets the challenges of educating 21st century learners by discovering what works in education. The College prepares highly qualified educators and conducts research that informs how teachers teach and students learn. With a focus on integrated P-12 STEM education and a commitment to the success of all students, graduates are prepared to be leaders in education, business and society. We offer a small college experience in a Big Ten environment. We launch Boilermaker Educators!
About NCTQ
The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is a nonpartisan research and policy organization on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher and every teacher has the opportunity to be effective. We believe a strong teacher workforce is critical for providing all students with equitable educational opportunities.