Teachers licensed in Oregon will soon be required to take science of reading training

According to the latest statewide report card, a majority of Oregon students are not reading at grade level by third grade.
When taking office, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek promised to change this. A series of initiatives she rolled out since then aim to strengthen schools' literacy programs.
The latest change will modify teacher training curriculums to align with a series of recommendations made by a council convened by way of Kotek's executive order issued last year.
“These recommendations are a significant step forward,” Kotek said in a prepared statement. “I appreciate that the council has not just layered on new requirements. They have also tried to streamline existing standards and build on the things we’ve had and continue to be important, like dyslexia standards. In addition to the council, I want to thank Oregon’s educator preparation program faculty and leaders who took the time to share their perspectives with us. We listened and many hours were spent taking your feedback into the revisions of the recommendations.”
The new curriculum for teacher teaching K-5th Grades will combine Reading Instruction Standards with Dyslexia Standards so that teachers are learning about reading disabilities at the same time they are learning how to teach kids to read.
The recommended curriculum also brings reading instruction in line with the science of reading. For decades teachers nationwide were taught reading instruction methods that research has since show to be ineffective.
The so called "whole language" approached used guess work and pictures to help kids essentially memorize what words look like instead of learning how to decode words through phonics.
Since the latest research has shown decoding is the most effective way to learn how to read, many schools have started re-introducing phonics-based reading instruction to some extent however many teachers have not been trained to teach those methodologies.
The Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council was tasked with making sure newly licensed teachers are prepared to teach according science based methods.
Teachers licensed starting in the fall of 2026 will be required to take the new curriculum. Rep Boomer Wright (R-Coos Bay) who sits on the council says the council recommended a phased-in approach to allow teaching colleges to catch up.
"It takes a while to implement a curriculum like we have come up with it takes training for the professors," he said.
The process will take longer for teachers already licensed in Oregon.
Boomer says the council will likely recommend having them take the updated reading instruction courses as a continuing education requirement when they renew their license.
katu.com/news/local/teachers-...
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[@enigma4029]

No phonics and no decoding. What do you expect.

[@terenceflanagan1225]

Ranked 44TH NATIONALLY. You're so concerned with politics you don't care that you aren't actually teaching anyone

[@Chris4Bama]

Has it gone down to 44th now? In which rating?

[@terenceflanagan1225]

It's lower in some. That was national literacy based i. Graduating and testing results

[@Chris4Bama]

How pathetic the state of Oregon has become.