Teacher Preparation Standards

Why does this matter?

Standards, whether established by state boards or state education agencies, are one of the best opportunities for states to provide direction to teacher prep programs on exactly what aspiring teachers should learn and be able to do when it comes to teaching scientifically based reading instruction. Without explicit standards, states cannot hold programs accountable. State standards should not only include descriptions of the five core components of reading (phonemic awareness and phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) but also provide specific details about what teachers should know and be able to teach for each of the core components aligned to the research. Standards should also identify the knowledge and skills teachers need to support English Learners and struggling readers, including students with dyslexia, in learning how to read.

Why does Utah stand out?

Utah sets specific, detailed standards for teacher prep programs aligned to the science of reading. These standards include how to teach English Learners and struggling readers, including those with dyslexia.

Utah improved its teacher preparation standards by bringing together prep programs from across the state to work alongside district literacy specialists and state education leaders to establish clear, specific standards for what teacher candidates need to learn about literacy. These standards are both detailed and clear about what level of proficiency candidates should demonstrate. For each competency, the standards specify whether candidates should have basic conceptual knowledge, be able to apply the knowledge, or demonstrate the knowledge by the time they complete their programs.

Providing this level of detail with exemplars for each competency means that programs have a clear information about what the competencies were, removing the need for any guesswork in what to teach. While these standards were intended as suggested guidelines for programs, the prep program faculty themselves asked the state to put these standards into Board Rule (which has the effect of law) to require the programs to follow the standards. Now faculty are pushing the state to go further and create a requirement for the number of classes programs must devote to reading instruction.