The University of Dayton’s undergraduate teacher preparation program has been recognized by the National Council on Teacher Quality as among the best in the nation in preparing future elementary teachers to teach children to read.

UD earned an A+ distinction in the council’s new report, Teacher Prep Review: Strengthening Elementary Reading Instruction.

UD’s program is among just 48 nationwide and four in Ohio the council highlighted for going above and beyond the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction — often called the “science of reading.”

UD’s undergraduate teacher education program also received a state-level award from the National Council on Teacher Quality and the Fordham Institute, becoming one of just seven programs in the state to earn an 'A' rating for exemplary coverage of scientifically based reading instruction for elementary teacher candidates.

“It is so wonderful to see public recognition of not only the excellence UD demonstrates in teacher education, but the specific expertise in the science of reading,” said Ali Carr-Chellman, dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences. “To be distinguished nationally in this area is richly deserved, well-known to those of us at UD and nationally in schools who hire our students, and a point of pride for UD’s teacher education program.”

To evaluate each institution’s teacher preparation education, experts from the National Council on Teacher Quality analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for undergraduate elementary teacher candidates. To earn an A+ distinction, programs needed to comfortably exceed the council’s targets for coverage of the five core components of scientifically based reading instruction — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension — and not teach any instructional practices unsupported by research.

“The University of Dayton program serves as a proof point,” said National Council on Teacher Quality President Heather Peske. “Other teacher preparation leaders and faculty across the country must take note. There are programs doing this right, ensuring their elementary teacher candidates get the preparation in how to teach reading that they both want and deserve.”

The council’s analysis of teacher preparation programs’ coverage of the science of reading was developed over the course of two years, involving teams of literacy experts, researchers, teacher preparation leaders and educators. The council evaluated 693 traditional undergraduate and graduate programs across the country, including 26 in Ohio. Overall, just 23% of programs earned an A or A+ grade (112 programs earned an A and 48 earned an A+).

“Our students as future reading teachers soar, and our 100% placement rate after graduation shows it,” Carr-Chellman said.