Urban Matters: New York City public schools are in the midst of overhauling how the youngest students are taught to read, an issue your group has been deeply involved in. Can you briefly describe what this initiative is designed to do and the status of its rollout? 

Jeff Smink: NYC Reads is an ambitious effort to improve reading outcomes by ensuring that all PreK-Grade 5 schools are using evidence-based instructional resources and teaching methods. The initiative is necessary because less than half of 3rd graders scored “proficient” on the 2022-23 statewide English Language Arts assessment, and many schools were using non-evidence-based curriculum and instructional approaches to teach reading. 

Even more concerning is the significant gaps between white students, students of color, and students with disabilities. For example, 67 percent of white 3rd graders were proficient in reading, compared to 45 percent of Black students, 38 percent of Latinx students, and only 23 percent of students with disabilities. NYC Reads is designed to address these disparities while also raising system-wide expectations that all students, regardless of background, can learn to read. 

NYC Reads kicked off at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. It’s being implemented in two phases, with roughly half of schools having started in the school year just ending, and the remainder starting in the next. Schools were required to select a curriculum from a pre-approved list of three evidence-based programs that include a focus on phonics instruction. NYC Reads also provides educators and administrators with professional learning to support the shift in instruction and implement the new curriculum in the classroom. 

UM: This is part of a broader movement, isn’t it? A 2023 Education Trust report noted that at least 26 states had recently passed laws designed to “re-center” literacy instruction. Why is there so much activity on this subject now? 

Smink: In fact, a more recent report from the Shanker Institute found that 45 states have now passed literacy laws aligned with the science of reading. There are several reasons. 

First, research is clear that learning to read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade is one of the most important indicators of future student success. A study from the Annie Casey Foundation found that students of color from low-income backgrounds are eight times more likely to drop out of school if they don’t meet this benchmark. Second, several states, including Mississippi, implemented reforms in recent years that significantly improved reading outcomes for all student subgroups. 

Third, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated already poor reading outcomes, particularly for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, as students missed out on foundational skill development. At the same time, reporting by Emily Hanford highlighted the lack of evidence-based reading instruction, including phonics, happening in schools across the nation. All these factors coalesced to create a sense of urgency that led to new reading policies. 

UM: If, as your report describes, there’s a settled scientific consensus about what learning literacy involves, why have many schools been slow to align how they teach to those findings?

Smink: Great question. There are several reasons for this disconnect. First, most teachers are not trained how to provide evidence-based literacy instruction during their teacher certification program. A study from the National Center on Teacher Quality found that over two-thirds of New York’s traditional teacher preparation programs do not teach the reading methods most likely to be effective with the highest number of students. 

Second, there is a belief among some educators that focusing on foundational skills like phonics takes the joy out of reading and can lead to a “one size fits all” approach to instruction that takes away teacher autonomy. Finally, states like New York leave most instructional decisions to individual school districts, meaning there are no state requirements (until this year) that districts use evidence-based instructional materials. This has led to the use of curricula that can reflect personal philosophies of teaching rather than what research shows works best. 

UM: New York State’s current budget includes funding encouraging local school districts to move toward “science of learning” curricula. How does that relate to NYC Reads? 

Smink: Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature included several important provisions in the State budget, including $10 million for professional learning for educators and a new requirement that all districts use instructional materials aligned with the science of reading by September 2025. It’s our hope the State will provide additional investments and policies next year that can both build on and support NYC Reads, particularly around more professional learning for educators. There is another statewide effort to ensure teacher preparation programs are training teachers how to provide evidence-based literacy instruction. 

NYC Reads is one of the largest literacy initiatives in the nation and Ed Trust-New York and our New York Campaign for Early Literacy will be closely following it to share best practices and lessons learned to inform similar efforts across the state. 

UM: How can parents be involved in NYC Reads? What information should they be getting from the schools, and what questions should they be asking teachers?

Smink: Parents and caregivers can play a critical role, both by advocating for their child at school and supporting their reading development at home. Schools should be providing parents regular updates on their child’s reading. Advocates for Children of New York provides questions to ask at parent-teacher conferences, such as:  What should my child be able to do by the end of the year with respect to reading? Are they on track to do that?  How are you monitoring my child’s reading progress throughout the year? Is my child receiving extra support this year and what interventions are available? 

Parents should also ask schools to provide reading resources and tools to support t reading development at home and during non-school hours. A 2023 Ed Trust-NY poll of parents across New York State found that 94 percent wanted additional reading instruction through summer and afterschool programs and more support to develop their child’s reading skills at home. 

UM: Final question: How will we know if NYC Reads is working, and how soon might we see the results?

Smink: This is an important question and we’ve already seen some initial reporting showing that outcomes are not improving during this first year of implementation, which is premature. Shifting instruction across the largest district in the nation is a massive undertaking that will take time, both for educators and students. As a result, we don’t expect to see significant improvements in student outcomes for at least two to three years. 

There will be multiple ways to assess how well NYC Reads is working, including State and local assessments, educator, student, and parent feedback, and other indicators of student success. While New York State doesn’t test students in reading until the spring of 3rd grade, New York City Public Schools provides additional local assessments, screening tools, and surveys that should provide early indicators of effectiveness, particularly for schools that started NYC Reads implementation in 2023. 

Jeff Smink is deputy director of The Education Trust-New York, a statewide education policy and advocacy organization. 

Photo by: InsideSchools