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¶¶ÒõÖ±²¥Ò•îl’s elementary teacher education program earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well it prepares future teachers to teach reading to elementary school students.

NCTQ’s June 9 report spotlights ¶¶ÒõÖ±²¥Ò•îl’s undergraduate program in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Also important, the report notes, ¶¶ÒõÖ±²¥Ò•îl avoids teaching practices shown to be ineffective or counterproductive in teaching children to read.

“Our faculty is deeply committed to ensuring that every student has access to an effective teacher. They are members of our families, communities, and the future workforce of our state,” said Dr. Teresa Poole, dean of the ¶¶ÒõÖ±²¥Ò•îl School of Education.

“We have a responsibility to equip teacher candidates with the knowledge and skills they need to teach reading effectively through the integration of evidence-based practices.”

Being able to read well in elementary school shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to current statistics, one in three fourth-graders in Mississippi cannot read at a basic level.

“Every child deserves a teacher who has been well-prepared, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed. ¶¶ÒõÖ±²¥Ò•îl is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like,” said NCTQ President Heather Peske.

To evaluate the quality of teacher preparation programs, an NCTQ team analyzed William Carey’s syllabi, lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, and opportunities for teacher candidates to practice their skills.

To earn an “A” grade, programs must show their coursework includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction. To earn an A+, they must exceed those targets – and not employ any teaching methods unsupported by research.

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