ExcelinEd Responds to NCTQ Report Analyzing States’ Teacher Reading Licensure Tests

“We’ve made so much progress at the state level putting in place early literacy policies that are proven to work for students, parents and educators.

“This new report shows there’s more work to be done to strengthen the tests states have in place to measure whether teachers actually possess the knowledge and skills they need to teach kids to read.

“Early literacy has commanded more and more public attention in recent years, and much of the focus has been on assessment and intervention for early readers. Knowing that more than half of states are using a weak licensure test means we need to redouble our efforts in teacher preparation and assessment to ensure educators are ready to teach reading from the moment they enter the classroom.”

EXCELINED RESOURCES

• Early Literacy Matters
• Early Literacy Model Policies

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT

The majority of states (29 states and the District of Columbia) use “weak” tests that do not signal whether teachers have the knowledge they need to teach students to read.

Of the 25 elementary teacher reading licensure tests in use by states, the majority (15) are weak.

• Six exams are rated “strong” and four are rated “acceptable.”

Across the 15 weak licensure tests:

• Ten do not adequately address all components (one of these also combines reading with another subject).
• Five combine reading with other subjects (e.g., social studies or science), meaning that the test does not offer a clear measure of teachers’ knowledge of reading because strength in another subject could mask a limited understanding of reading. (One of these also does not adequately address all components.)
• One test would be acceptable, but it includes too much emphasis on content contrary to research-based practices without indicating that these are counterproductive practices, which might encourage prep programs to teach these problematic practices and aspiring teachers to learn and then implement them.