Two-thirds of North Carolina eighth-graders can’t read proficiently. Teacher prep programs don’t make the grade

Only one of 30 reviewed University of North Carolina educator preparation programs excels in teaching research-based reading instruction methods, according to a third-party review.

TPI-USA, an independent organization that inspects teacher education programs, was commissioned by the North Carolina state legislature to evaluate how well the programs were preparing future teachers in the “science of reading” as mandated by a 2021 law, The James C. Martin center reported today.

Elementary educator preparation programs for general curriculum teachers must include “instruction in the teaching of reading, including a substantive understanding of reading as a process involving oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension,” according to the “Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021,” the law which also mandated the review.