Teacher Preparation in Pennsylvania: Alignment to the National Reading Panel Findings

Abstract

Students across Pennsylvania are demonstrating an inability to meet proficiency expectations in reading. Emphasis has been on schools of education as one originating source of difficulty with reading instruction. Five universities and colleges in Pennsylvania were analyzed utilizing document analysis of undergraduate course syllabi, schedules, and final exams of 13 required undergraduate courses. The findings of this qualitative study illustrate the participating schools of education are instructing on the pillars of reading in parallel and proportionately less than non-evidence-based practices. The authors offer a four-tier approach to strengthen teacher candidacy programs.