Bay Path Earns an A for Early Reading Courses

Longmeadow, MA—   The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has released their scores for the 2020 Teacher Prep Review, ranking Bay Path University’s Early Reading course content in undergraduate traditional elementary education programs with an A designation. Reading ability is a key predictor of future educational gains and life success, and more than a third of American children are not able to read by the 4th grade, with black and Hispanic children being disproportionately affected. Successful reading instruction is essential to achieving educational equity. Only seven programs in Massachusetts received an A ranking.

After reviewing course syllabi and required textbooks, programs were ranked based on the following criteria: the availability of explicit instruction on each of the five components of reading instruction - phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies; support for instruction with high-quality textbooks that accurately detail established principles of scientifically-based reading practices; and evidence that teacher candidates must demonstrate mastery through in-class assignments, tests, and fieldwork.

“Only about a quarter of educator preparation programs nationwide received this highest rating, with Bay Path University being only one of four undergraduate programs in the state of MA to be recognized with an A,” shared Dr. Ellen Rustico, Bay Path professor, Chair of their Education Programs, and Director of Teacher Licensure. “It ensures that we are training teacher candidates with effective evidence-based structured literacy practices for use in the PreK-12 general education and specialized settings. The reading coursework at Bay Path links the science of reading to educational practice. Our teacher candidates are ready to make an impact on students on day one.”

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research and policy organization that is committed to modernizing the teaching profession.

Bay Path is proud to offer 14 undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, for both traditional and adult students, with programs on campus and online. For more information, please visit the University's website.

 

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About Bay Path University

Bay Path University was founded in 1897. With locations in Longmeadow (main), East Longmeadow (Philip H. Ryan Health Science Center), Springfield (MA), Sturbridge (MA), and Concord (MA), Bay Path’s innovative program offerings include traditional undergraduate degrees for women, The American Women's College on-ground and online, the first all-women, all-online accredited bachelor’s degree programs in the country; over 30 graduate programs for women and men, including doctorate degrees; and Strategic Alliances, offering professional development courses for individuals and organizations.  Bay Path’s goal is to give students confidence in the fundamentals of their chosen field, the curiosity to question the ordinary, the leadership to show initiative, and the desire to make a difference.

 

About the National Council on Teacher Quality

The National Council on Teacher Quality is a nonpartisan research and policy group, committed to modernizing the teaching profession and based on the belief that all children deserve effective teachers. We recognize that it is not teachers who bear responsibility for their profession's many challenges, but the institutions with the greatest authority and influence over teachers. More information about NCTQ can be found on our website, www.nctq.org.