New York State Assemblyman Bobby Carroll has recently criticized the State Education Department for not actively promoting modernized literacy programs, resulting in stagnant reading abilities among students. He has urged the education department to mandate schools to adopt a “science of reading” teaching model with phonics as its core, warning that New York will continue to lag behind in national literacy education competitions if changes are not implemented.
In a statement on X platform, Carroll, a member of the New York State Assembly, chair of the State Council Libraries and Education Technology Committee, as well as a part-time law professor, questioned why New York is falling behind in literacy rates competition. He pointed out that “40% of schools in New York are still using imperfect teaching methods,” while highlighting the effectiveness of methods proven in states like Mississippi, Connecticut, and Virginia. Carroll emphasized the importance of promoting the correct reading teaching methods across the board.
States like Mississippi, Connecticut, and Virginia have long adopted phonics-based literacy methods, significantly improving students’ reading performance. Carroll stressed that “New York should lead the way, not play catch-up,” asserting that “every child deserves the right to learn how to read, and it’s time for the State Education Department to fulfill this commitment.”
According to the latest analysis by the policy and advocacy group “Education Trust- New York,” about one-third of school districts in New York still adhere to outdated and ineffective “balanced literacy” teaching models. The results show that fourth-grade students in New York have shown stagnant performance in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading test in recent years, even falling below the national average in 2022. In contrast, Mississippi has climbed from 46th place in 2017 to 7th place in 2024, while New York only ranks 26th nationwide. Despite New York’s education expenditure per student being around $36,000, 91% higher than the national average, the outcomes do not correspond to the investment made.
In response to criticisms, a spokesperson for the State Education Department stated to the media that the public “overlooks the evidence-based literacy improvement efforts underway in New York,” emphasizing the diverse backgrounds of students in the state and the need for literacy education to be tailored accordingly, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all policy. The education department insists that school districts have the autonomy to choose materials and teaching methods, with the state government not mandating or approving curricula.
Governor Huochu allocated ten million dollars last year to encourage schools to adopt the “science of reading” curriculum, and New York City has already launched the “NYC Reads” initiative, pioneering the implementation of phonics-based teaching statewide, marking a crucial step towards literacy education reform across the state.