New data released today by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), shows that 8% of teacher preparation programs in New Jersey earn an A or A+ for preparing aspiring elementary teachers to teach reading based on scientifically sound instructional methods. This places the state among the bottom 12 states in the nation. NCTQ reviewed 13 programs in New Jersey as part of its national Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation report.

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, one in three fourth graders in New Jersey cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that.

“Failing to prepare future teachers to teach reading effectively is a form of educational malpractice that harms both aspiring teachers and the students they will serve,” said NCTQ President Dr. Heather Peske. “Every elementary student in New Jersey deserves a teacher who understands all five components of scientifically based reading instruction and is prepared to teach them well. And every teacher deserves the preparation and support to succeed.”

Additional New Jersey findings

• 54% of programs earn an F, compared to 21% nationally.
• 58% of programs in the state did not participate in NCTQ’s review. Nationally, programs that do not participate are more likely to be low performing—of the 74 programs NCTQ evaluated in 2023 but was unable to obtain updated materials from, 61% earned an F.
• See your New Jersey-specific data summary for a breakdown of individual program grades and the state policy context.

Key national findings—The good news:

• The percentage of teacher prep programs earning an A more than doubled since NCTQ’s 2023 Teacher Prep Review, jumping from 26% to 53%.
  • Earning an A means the program teaches all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoids debunked practices (see more in the methodology section below).
• The percentage of programs earning an F is down by 14 percentage points.

Key national findings—The bad news:

Despite that progress, thousands of new teachers still enter classrooms every year without the knowledge and skills they need to teach reading because their prep program failed to provide it. 

• Nearly half (47%) of the teacher preparation programs we reviewed fell short on at least one of the core components of scientifically based reading instruction.
  • Phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate the individual phonemes (the smallest units of sound) in spoken words—remains the component programs teach the least, despite its importance as a foundational skill.
• One in five programs (21%) earned an F.
  • An F means the program teaches one or none of the five components and—in many cases—remains wedded to debunked practices that run contrary to the research.
• One in five programs (20%) still prepare aspiring teachers with teaching methods that run contrary to the research.
  • A technique known as “three-cueing” is among the most well known debunked practices. It often comes in the form of prompting children to guess words they do not know using pictures and other forms of context instead of sounding them out, which can hinder student learning.
• Most programs give too little time and attention to preparing teachers to support struggling readers, English learners, and other vulnerable groups.
  • 60% of programs provide candidates with fewer than two instructional hours dedicated to teaching reading to English learners, even though they are the fastest growing population of students in the country.
  • Half of programs dedicate fewer than two instructional hours to teaching struggling readers, such as students with dyslexia.
  • Most programs aren’t providing any opportunity for practice with these vulnerable student groups. 
• Programs that do not participate in NCTQ’s analysis are more likely to be low performing. Of the 74 programs NCTQ evaluated in 2023 but was unable to obtain updated materials from for this new report, 61% had earned an F in 2023. Additionally, evidence from publicly available textbook data suggests nonparticipating programs use  textbooks that are not aligned to scientifically based reading instruction at the same rates as programs that earned Ds and Fs.

The NCTQ report identifies 227 exemplary programs that show excellence is achievable. These programs earn an “A+” grade for comfortably exceeding the targets set by literacy experts for what constitutes adequate instruction in the science of reading and for not teaching aspiring teachers any methods that run contrary to the research. 

The report also demonstrates that strong state policies and leadership make a difference. States like Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi, and Ohio that have enacted robust, comprehensive policies and taken deliberate action to ensure prep programs are aligned with the science of reading stand out for high program performance. The NCTQ report includes case studies highlighting exemplary states and programs and provides recommendations for teacher preparation programs, state policymakers, and advocates. 

Methodology

Examining more than 700 teacher preparation programs across the country, NCTQ looked for evidence that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all the core components of scientifically based reading instruction, (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), which over 50 years of research has established as a proven way to help the most students become successful readers. The analysis breaks down how future elementary teachers are prepared in each aspect of the science of reading through instructional hours, assigned readings, assignments and assessments, and opportunities to practice.

NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates, and measurement experts. We gather program requirements and course materials—such as syllabi, textbooks, lectures, and field work—which expert analysts review for evidence of alignment to the research. Before publishing results, we give each program its detailed analysis and the opportunity to submit additional evidence to improve their evaluation. (Watch this 2-minute video for a brief overview of the process, or read the full methodology in Appendix A of the full report PDF.)

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Links to report materials and resources (Report links go live/update June 9):

Full report: Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation  

Executive summary: Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation – Executive Summary  

All program scores: View, sort, and filter all program grades; click on an individual program to see detailed analysis and findings for that program  

Recommendations: See recommendations for teacher preparation programs, state policymakers, school districts, advocates, teachers, and parents  

Individual state profiles: Select a state and download a brief summary of state data, analysis, and recommendations  

Methodology video: Short video with an overview of how NCTQ conducts this review  

Full methodology and summary of research: Teacher Prep Review: Reading Foundations Technical Report  

Full data download: Detailed program-level and course-level data download  

List of institutions that refused to participate: Appendix of the full report  

###About the National Council on Teacher Quality: NCTQ is a nonpartisan research and policy organization on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher and every teacher has the opportunity to be effective. We believe a strong, diverse teacher workforce is critical for providing all students with equitable educational opportunities. More information about NCTQ can be found on our website, www.nctq.org.