Bay Path University Earns National Recognition for Teacher Preparation
LONGMEADOW — The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at Bay Path University has earned an ‘A’ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well it prepares future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.
The report, “Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation,” published on June 9, spotlights Bay Path for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this means the program is preparing aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, and avoids many instructional practices that research has shown to be ineffective or counterproductive for teaching children to read.
According to NAEP data, one in three fourth graders in Massachusetts cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most direct levers available to change that — but only if it is aligned to the research-based instructional methods that have been proven to help most students become successful readers. Bay Path is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide helping transform how future teachers are trained to teach reading.
“Bay Path University has been routinely recognized by the NCTQ for applying the evidence-based practices behind the science of reading to our teacher education programs,” said Ellen Rustico, assistant dean of Education and Licensure Programs. “Students who graduate from our education programs are well-prepared to foster and support early readers, and they are currently serving in school districts, daycare centers, and advocacy organizations across Massachusetts, using what they’ve learned to give children the strong foundations they need to become successful readers.”
Bay Path was one of only six programs in Massachusetts to receive a grade of ‘A’ or higher and the only program in Western Mass. to earn that distinction. Bay Path’s program places undergraduates in local school districts, including Springfield Public Schools, Longmeadow Public Schools, West Springfield Public Schools, and the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District, where they gain hands-on experience through practicums and fieldwork in early childhood and elementary education settings.
“Every child deserves a teacher who has been well-prepared to teach reading, and every teacher deserves the opportunity to enter the classroom ready to help students succeed,” NCTQ President Heather Peske said. “Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but Bay Path University is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”
NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates, and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments, and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at Bay Path University.
To earn an ‘A,’ programs needed to demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoids teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction.
