The Reading League Launches Educator Preparation Program Partnerships to Support States Advancing the Science of Reading in Higher Education

SYRACUSE, N.Y., July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Reading League, a national nonprofit leading the advancement of evidence-aligned reading instruction, has expanded its educator preparation services with the launch of the Educator Preparation Program Partnership, an initiative to strengthen teacher preparation nationwide. Many states are now requiring that the methods taught in their educator preparation programs align with findings from the science of reading—a vast, interdisciplinary body of research on how children learn to read and how to teach them most effectively.

The Reading League is uniquely positioned to assist EPPs as they advance the science of reading. Its team includes reading science experts with solid experience in EPPs and change management. Once a partnership is established, The Reading League's priority is to understand the EPP's culture and its faculty's strengths. TRL then co-develops meaningful, evidence-aligned learning goals and plans for program development. Next, TRL conducts needs assessments and full program reviews to determine opportunities for alignment and growth.

The Reading League does not promote a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, EPP-specific tools and frameworks are used to identify gaps and redundancies in coursework and to integrate evidence-aligned content related to instruction, assessment and intervention while maintaining the integrity and culture of the program and leveraging the talent and expertise of EPP faculty.

Educator preparation programs can choose one of two partnership pathways:

• Two-Year Partnership – A deep, sustained engagement featuring needs assessments, full program reviews, collaborative knowledge building, and active partnerships with practicum placement schools to support effective implementation.
  
  
• Accelerated Deep Dive Partnership – A three- to five-day collaboration to create a shared vision, streamline course sequences, and embed evidence-aligned content across the program.

Dr. Maria Murray, president and CEO of The Reading League, said she is encouraged to see state policy centering on the science of reading as it relates to EPPs. She added, "Our partnership programs empower EPPs as they prepare future teachers to excel at evidence-aligned literacy instruction. We bring deep expertise and respect for each institution's unique context, ensuring our collaboration is purposeful, informed and focused on long-term institutional success."

The Reading League is a national education nonprofit based in Syracuse, N.Y., seeking to increase knowledge of evidence-aligned approaches to teaching reading and the research that shows how people learn to read. We train and support educators and school leaders, and by extension, we also serve numerous interested parties. We believe that all children deserve to learn to read, and all teachers can learn to teach them. For more information, please visit thereadingleague.org.

SOURCE The Reading League