Board of Regents Adopts New Requirements to Strengthen Literacy Instruction in Teacher Preparation Programs

The New York State Board of Regents voted today to adopt regulatory amendments strengthening literacy instruction requirements for teacher preparation programs, marking a significant milestone in the State's ongoing efforts to improve reading proficiency and ensure every student has access to effective, evidence-based literacy instruction.

The amendments advance the central goal of New York's Path Forward initiative, which is integrating the science of reading into educator preparation programs and certification requirements. The action builds on the Path Forward Action Plan announced in October 2024, moving the State's commitment to transforming literacy instruction from planning to implementation.

Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, "Every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident, capable reader, and every educator deserves the preparation needed to help make that possible. These amendments represent an important step toward ensuring that evidence-based literacy instruction is a consistent part of teacher preparation across New York State. By strengthening how we prepare educators, we are strengthening the foundation for student success, expanding opportunity, and helping ensure that every learner has the support they need to thrive."

Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said, "When we announced the Path Forward Action Plan two years ago, we made a commitment to fundamentally strengthen how New York prepares its teachers to teach literacy. Today, we are delivering on that commitment. This work is about more than teaching children to read. It is about opening doors to academic achievement and lifelong learning. By equipping future educators with evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of all learners, including English language learners and students with disabilities, we are helping ensure that a child's ability to succeed is never determined by whether they had access to a teacher prepared to meet their needs."

The new requirements apply to teacher preparation programs in early childhood education, childhood education, bilingual education, English to speakers of other languages (ESOL), literacy, and special education. Specifically, the amendments will:

• Strengthen literacy coursework by aligning program requirements with New York State's Educator Preparation Program Science of Reading Framework (Framework), emphasizing evidence-based approaches to teaching reading and writing.
• Expand preparation to better support diverse learners by incorporating instruction on dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other language-based learning disabilities, along with additional literacy coursework requirements for students with disabilities programs.
• Enhance hands-on teaching experiences by requiring future educators to apply evidence-based literacy instruction and assessment strategies during field experiences and student teaching, including working with students who experience reading difficulties.

The above teacher preparation programs must align their literacy coursework with the Framework by September 1, 2028, or upon registration of a new program, whichever occurs first.

"This is a bold, exciting step that will help many more New York children become strong, confident readers," said Ruth Genn, Executive Director of Literacy Academy Collective, which convened the New York State Path Forward team. "It means teachers will be ready to teach reading effectively from the day they walk into their classrooms, so future generations of students get the instruction they need from the very start. As an organization serving students with dyslexia in some of the most marginalized neighborhoods in New York City, we understand how critical it is for every teacher to know how to implement structured literacy. When reading happens for kids, everything changes."

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, "Preparing tomorrow's teachers today with the tools they will need to help every child learn to read is an investment that will transform students' lives while also improving reading scores. These updated Board of Regents regulations give our colleges and universities a clear framework for preparing future educators to teach literacy using evidence-based methods aligned with how the brain processes written language. This will change children's lives by helping them become confident readers. As a member of the Path Forward steering committee, I am thrilled to see this work take these significant steps forward. I thank the Board of Regents, the NYS Education Department, and Governor Hochul for doing the hard work and for their commitment to strengthening literacy instruction," said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

Dr. Katie Pace Miles, Professor, Brooklyn College, CUNY, said, "This is a critical step to meet the needs of all students in New York. As a Path Forward Steering Committee member, I commend the Chancellor and Commissioner for their dedication to aligning teacher training with evidence-based instruction. This will ensure that teachers are prepared to support every reader in their classroom." Dr. Katie Pace Miles, Professor, Brooklyn College, CUNY, said, "This is a critical step to meet the needs of all students in New York. As a Path Forward Steering Committee member, I commend the Chancellor and Commissioner for their dedication to aligning teacher training with evidence-based instruction. This will ensure that teachers are prepared to support every reader in their classroom."

Dr. John Strong, Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo, SUNY, said, "The new regulatory amendments are critical to ensuring that teacher preparation programs across New York State build university students' knowledge of the science of reading in their literacy coursework, as well as develop their ability to implement evidence-based literacy instruction in their clinical experiences."

Sarah Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Relay Graduate School of Education, said, "We could not be more thrilled to see these changes take place at the statewide level. I commend the Chancellor and Commissioner for their dedication to ensuring our state regulations reflect what we know works for teachers and students. This is sure to reverberate across the state. Nothing could be more important for NY's future readers!"

Developed in partnership with Literacy Academy Collective and The Hunt Institute, New York's Path Forward initiative brings together higher education institutions, education leaders, and stakeholders to improve literacy instruction statewide. The Department's Educator Preparation Program Science of Reading Framework, developed through the initiative, establishes a common foundation for preparing educators to deliver effective, culturally responsive literacy instruction.

The regulatory amendments represent a significant step in implementing the Framework and advancing New York State's broader commitment to strengthening teaching and learning for every student.

Additional information about the New York State Path Forward initiative is available on the Department's website.