Reading Audit

According to recent student-level data, approximately half of Minnesota’s students are at or below grade-level for reading. In alignment with other state efforts to increase student reading levels and ensure teachers are prepared in the science of reading, the Board began conducting an audit process specific to instruction in reading for all licensure programs in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Reading.

Process

Beginning in January 2023, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) began a formal audit process to evaluate how teacher preparation programs provide instruction on the science of reading. All licensure programs in the areas of Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Reading are required to undergo the high-level review by June 2025. Programs are being reviewed on a rolling basis.
Initial Findings
From the high-level reviews already completed, most reviews have resulted in some expert standards-level peer review being required.

The following problematic trends have been noted from the reviews:
- Programs are adding components specific to the science of reading while maintaining practices and instruction that are contradictory to the science of reading and are not evidence-based.
- Many programs are using texts and other resources that promote three-cueing and other practices that are not evidence-based.
- Learning opportunities and assessments are not fully transparent as details are within password-protected online platforms.
- Sometimes, it is unclear what are required readings/learning opportunities vs. optional resources.
Additionally, the following trends have been noted by standard:
- Dyslexia is taught as a stand-alone module/unit and isn't integrated into the teaching of foundational reading skills.
- "Elementary Reading Standards Review Template Dec 2023" refer to the second column. These are comments from a variety of reviews indicating why individual standards are "not met." For example, there is often limited attention to meeting the needs of multilingual learners (with vague references to "ELL considerations") and the needs of gifted learners.
Resources
- MACTE/ServeMN early literacy project
- The Reading League: Sample syllabi and instructional materials.
- The Rhode Island Science of Reading and Structured Literacy Syllabi Refinement Tool and Resource Bank for Syllabi Enhancement are designed to help Rhode Island Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) refine their syllabi to meet the requirements of the Rhode Island Right to Read Act. This resource is based on the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center's innovation configuration (IC) matrix. The Syllabi Refinement Tool crosswalks all competencies and components of proficiency in the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy as required by the Right to Read Act with the CEEDAR Center's K-5 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction IC, the Mount St. Joseph Syllabi Planning Rubric, and the International Dyslexia Association's Knowledge and Practice Standards.
- International Dyslexia Association (IDA): The IDA dyslexiaida.org provides information about structured literacy and dyslexia for Teacher Preparation Programs under the "professionals" tab. This website also provides other resources that may be helpful (e.g., fact sheets, Structured Literacy Brief, information about IDA accreditation).
- MDE-approved professional development in evidence-based reading instruction
- CDE Lesson Plan Templates: Phonics Lesson Plan Routine Template, Vocabulary Lesson Template, Text Planning Guide for Comprehension
- CDE Science of Reading Booklist
- Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties
Professional Learning Opportunities for Reading Methods Teacher Educators
- LETRS for Professions/Teacher Educators - Higher Education Reading Professors and Alternative Reading Teacher Educators interested in joining the LETRS training cohort, please email mde.MNREADAct.MDE@state.mn.us
- COMPASS Summer Institute (June 25-26, 2024): This free conference will be held in-person at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington and will include sessions on Minnesota Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MnMTSS), elementary and secondary literacy and math, comprehensive mental health, educator well-being and much more! Register for the COMPASS Summer Institute. Audience: District, Charter School, and Tribal school leaders, program directors and coordinators, school leaders, PreK–12 educators, and Higher Ed educators/Alt Prep Teacher Educators. Contact COMPASS.Institute.MDE@state.mn.us with any questions.
Minnesota State University Moorhead Elementary Education Reading Syllabi
College of St. Scholastica Reading Teacher Syllabi
Citations

Minnesota Statutes 120B.1118 defines "evidence-based" as the instruction or item described is based on reliable, trustworthy, and valid evidence and has demonstrated a record of success in increasing students' reading competency in the areas of phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Evidence-based literacy instruction is explicit, systematic, and includes phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension that can be differentiated to meet the needs of individual students. Evidence-based instruction does not include the three-cueing system.
Status
Forms