A&T ‘s Educator Preparation Program Earns ‘A’ Grade for Literacy Instruction and Education

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (June 15, 2023) – The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has recognized North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s College of Education for its outstanding and rigorous preparation of future teachers’ reading instruction, earning an “A” letter grade in NCTQ’s new report: Teacher Prep Review: Strengthening Elementary Reading Instruction.

N.C. A&T’s Department of Educator Preparation is among just 23% nationwide to earn an “A” from NCTQ for meeting standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction—often called the “science of reading.”

“As a UNC System Literacy Innovation Leader institution, it is nice to see that our excellence in literacy teaching and learning is recognized by external national organizations,” said Paula Price, Ph.D., A&T College of Education dean. “Our educator preparation students have proven to be excellent teachers of reading and literacy, and they make big impacts in the community and classrooms that they teach in or visit as clinical interns.” 

Research suggests that more than 90% of children could learn to read if their teachers used instructional methods grounded in the science of reading. A&T’s educator preparation program uses a practice-based model to ensure future elementary teachers enter the classroom equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to help students become strong readers.

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 undergraduate elementary teacher candidates. To earn an “A,” programs had to meet NCTQ’s targets for coverage of the five core components of scientifically based reading instruction — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension — and not teach more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction.

The new NCTQ analysis of teacher preparation programs’ coverage of the science of reading was developed over the course of two years, involving teams of literacy experts, researchers, teacher preparation leaders and educators. NCTQ evaluated 693 traditional undergraduate and graduate programs across the country, including 24 in North Carolina. Overall, just 112 programs earned an A and 48 earned an A+.

In addition to utilizing prinicples of the “science of teaching,” the A&T educator preparation program incorporates and threads culturally responsive and sustaining practices throughout all curriculum focused on advancing equity.