(WNY News Now) – New York – Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled a plan, titled ‘Back to Basics,’ to reinvigorate reading instruction in New York. The initiative, announced during her 2024 State of the State address, focuses on transitioning the state towards evidence-based best practices to equip students with the foundational skills essential for proficient reading.
Governor Hochul is set to introduce legislation ensuring the widespread adoption of evidence-based best practices throughout the state’s education system. This strategic move aims to discard outdated and discredited approaches to reading comprehension, fostering a return to scientifically proven techniques.
As a pivotal component of the ‘Back to Basics’ initiative, Governor Hochul has proposed a $10 million state investment. This substantial funding will facilitate the training of 20,000 teachers in Science of Reading instructional best practices. The goal is to empower educators with the necessary tools and methodologies to effectively impart foundational reading skills to students, thereby addressing the current deficiency in reading proficiency levels.
To further fortify the commitment to improved reading education, Governor Hochul announced the expansion of microcredentialing programs at the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY). These programs will focus specifically on the Science of Reading, providing both current and future teachers with advanced education and specialized training in evidence-based reading instruction techniques.
“Reading is the foundation of our education system, but New York State is currently not meeting basic reading proficiency levels,” stated Governor Hochul during her address. “We cannot continue to allow our kids to fall further behind by utilizing outdated and discredited approaches to reading comprehension. Our Back to Basics initiative will reset how schools approach reading, returning to scientifically proven techniques. Along with investments in teacher training programs, we are tackling this issue head on to make sure our teachers and kids are set up for success.”
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