Vanguard Call for Submissions – Leading Literacy

Reading is one of the most fundamental skills students need to learn, but currently, our kids are not meeting basic reading proficiency levels … we’re throwing out debunked reading instruction practices and getting back to basics, using phonics, reading comprehension, and other effective techniques to set our kids up for success.” – Governor Hochul

So set into motion New York’s newest literacy initiative. The State Education Department has been charged with developing instructional best practices based on the Science of Reading, and districts will be required to annually review their curriculum and instruction to align with those practices by September 2025.

Of course, as with any grand initiative, it’s not as simple as it sounds. Everyone agrees that literacy is the cornerstone of education, but for years, there have been differing philosophies regarding the best way to teach reading and comprehension. With this new mandate for school districts, however, educators must align their work with the science of reading and SED’s best practices. Some schools are struggling with what they say is a lack of clarity and direction, others are seeking programs and products to help meet the new requirements, and most everyone is focused on implementation.

This issue of Vanguard & Practices will take a deep dive into New York’s literacy initiative and invites members to share with colleagues best practices in the areas of:

• Instructional leadership and change management related to this literacy initiative
• Finding high-quality programs and/or products that meet requirements
• Districtwide and school-based implementation
• Teacher buy-in and sustained professional learning and support
• Districtwide collaboration in making wise budgetary decisions

Submit articles to mhebert@saanys.org by February 18. Please keep any submissions to 1,500 words or less.