A recent report from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) evaluates teacher prep programs across the country and finds several in Tennessee lacking.
The organization said that nationally, most programs at colleges and universities that prepare future elementary teachers still do not fully cover the science of reading.
The group evaluated nearly 700 teacher preparation programs across the country, looking for evidence that coursework for future elementary teachers included all the core components of scientifically based reading instruction. Their analysis broke down how future elementary teachers are prepared in each aspect of the science of reading through instructional hours, assigned readings, assignments and assessments, and opportunities to practice.
NCTQ argues that research suggests that over 90 percent of children could learn to read if their teachers used instructional methods grounded in the science of reading.
In Tennessee, only Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee Wesleyan University elementary undergraduate programs earned an “A+” rating. Lipscomb University, for its elementary graduate program, and Tennessee State University’s undergraduate program both earned an “A” rating.
On the flip side, five schools’ programs scored an “F.”
Union University, the University of Tennessee – Martin, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, had both the undergraduate programs and the graduate programs receive failing remarks. For Belmont University it was their undergraduate program, and for Tennessee State University it was their graduate program.
The report cited both Union University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as providing content contrary to research-based practice – guided reading, and balanced literacy, respectively.
Fifteen percent of Tennessee’s educator preprograms adequately addressed all five required components. Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Utah are recognized as states where at least 50 percent of the programs adequately address all five components.
The new report marks the third time NCTQ reviewed national teacher preparation programs with a focus on reading instruction. Its first report, in 2013, gave 35 percent of programs nationally an A or B grade. In 2020 that percentage jumped to 51 percent. This time, only 38 percent of programs received an A or B grade. However, that comes with a caveat.
For the 2023 report, NCTQ has made substantial changes in its methodology for evaluation, focusing on the tenets of the science of reading as best practice. The change in methodology makes comparison to past years impossible.
Over the last decade, 31 states and the District of Columbia have shifted toward implementing new policies mandating evidence-based reading instruction. This legislative trend has ramped up over the past few years, as advocates and policymakers have embraced the “science of reading” movement.
Tennessee is among those states that have legislatively moved towards embracing the “Science of Reading.” The 2021 Tennessee Literacy Act requires that all teachers who teach early literacy complete a foundational literacy course in order to secure or renew a license. Foundational skills are a considered key component of the science of reading.
The National Council on Teacher Quality was founded in 2000 and is a 501(c)3 charity. It bills itself as a non-partisan research and advocacy organization that takes no federal funding that focuses on ensuring every student has an effective teacher, and every teacher has an opportunity to be effective. Since 2009, they have received $16,413,055 in funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Furthermore, their latest tax filing indicates that about half of their funding comes from taxpayers.
Since 2013, the NCTQ’s rating system, which relies on course syllabi and other written materials including readings, lecture slides, example assignments, or assessments has also been subject to criticism.
“Their methodology, for me, is still significantly flawed,” Annamarie Francois, the associate dean of public engagement at the University of California, Los Angeles’ School of Education and Information Studies told Education Week. UCLA’s graduate teacher preparation program received a D grade in the NCTQ analysis.
“Anytime that you base ratings on a review of documents, rather than actual practice and student outcomes, then you aren’t actually capturing the full knowledge and understanding of teacher candidates,” Francois said.
Meanwhile, Tennessee has been a leader in investing in teacher preparation programs through its Grow Your Own program. In May 2023, Governor Lee approved $5 million in recurring funding for the Grow Your Own program.
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TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
