BILL NUMBER: S7341
SPONSOR: STAVISKY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act in relation to authorizing the commissioner of education to
conduct an audit regarding instruction in literacy instruction within
the state
 
PURPOSE:
Authorizes and directs the Commissioner of Education to conduct a
program audit regarding instruction in literacy at institutions of high-
er education in the state.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The commissioner of education is authorized and directed to
conduct a program audit regarding instruction on literacy within the
state.
§ 2. A. For each postsecondary institution survey questions shall:
identify which undergraduate and/or graduate degree or certification
program in education or educational administration covers instruction in
the core components of reading, characterized as the five pillars of
reading by the national reading panel;
b. assesses the extent to which each such program covers the science
reading; and
c. evaluates to what extent such program adequately prepares students on
best practices and techniques for using structured literacy in the
classroom.
§ 3. Each audit shall also require an attestation by each institution
indicating that the responsible party or parties have surveyed each
undergraduate and/or graduate degree or certification program in educa-
tion or educational administration of each institution.
§ 4. Findings shall include detailed results of the audit, including the
extent that the survey data submitted demonstrates compliance with the
learning standards of instruction for effective literary instruction.
§ 5. For purposes of this act *Learning standards for instruction neces-
sary for effective literacy instruction" include literacy courses
offered by an institution that are training students in language-based,
effective methods of teaching reading, which include instruction in
delivering structured literacy.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
There has been a lot of discussion of dyslexia and related learning
disorders of late and our struggling readers deserve our attention and
deserve to be taught to read using evidence-based strategies and curric-
ula. However, our schools have been doing an inadequate job of teaching
our kids to read, period. That burden falls more heavily on black and
brown students. This failure has led to persistently low performance
only between 35-38's of New York's fourth graders read proficiently on
the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), commonly referred
to as the "Nation's Report Card". This failure has led to troubling high
school dropout rates, under-employment, and for far too many, involve-
ment with the criminal justice system.
In June 2023, the National Council on Teacher Quality released its
updated report on teacher preparation programs: TEACHER PREP REVIEW
Strengthening Elementary Reading Instruction
HTM://MW.NCTCR.ORG/MISN/STANDARD/RMADINC- FOUNDATIONS It's clear, our
colleges of education have not been teaching their students how to teach
reading to children. Instead, they have been teaching long-debunked
methods that don't work, building a false sense of competence in our new
teachers and sending them off into classrooms woefully underprepared for
the moat critical educational task at hand - teaching our kids to read.
We are failing our teachers in training, and we are failing our chil-
dren. We can fix this. This program audit will help reveal how.
 
PRIOR LZOISLATXVL HISTORY:
2023-24 - REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE MD LOCAL COMMENTS:
Minimal
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.