UCM Earns National Recognition for Preparing Future Elementary Teachers in the Science of Reading

 

The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) has earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well it prepares future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.

The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, spotlights UCM’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective reading instruction methods. Specifically, this means the program is preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary, and avoids many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.

A child’s ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet, according to NAEP data, 4 in 10 fourth graders in Missouri cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that — but only if it is aligned with research-based instructional methods proven to help most students become successful readers.

UCM is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide that are helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading. 

 

"This recognition reflects our ongoing effort to keep the College of Education at the forefront of teacher preparation,” said Doug Fiore, dean of the UCM College of Education. “Our faculty continually refine and elevate our programs to align with emerging research and the evolving needs of Missouri’s schools. We are committed to preparing teachers who are not only ready for today’s classrooms but who will lead the way in shaping the future of literacy instruction.”

In 1871, UCM was founded as a training school for teachers. The teacher education programs remain a cornerstone of the university and continue their prominent standing in Missouri and throughout the Midwest for educator preparation.  

 

“Every child deserves a teacher who has been well prepared to teach reading, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed,” NCTQ President Heather Peske said. “Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but the University of Central Missouri is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”

NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates and measurement experts. 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 elementary teacher candidates at UCM.

To earn an “A,” programs needed to demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoid teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction. To earn an A+, programs needed to exceed those targets and avoid teaching any instructional practices unsupported by research.