Rewriting Content

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York Pushes to Prioritize Phonics in State Schools

New YorkGov. Kathy Hochul is adamant about improving student reading proficiency in her state. With the help of the science of reading, she is proposing to mandate the state education department to create guidelines based on this approach for school districts to implement.

To combat declining reading proficiency, which was worsened during the pandemic, the proposal centers on phonics-based instruction as an effective way of helping New York students improve their reading skills.

This plan is part of Hochul’s agenda for the state’s Legislative session and includes $10 million for training educators in science of reading instruction, plus an expansion of credentialing programs at state and city public colleges for the same subject.

The Big Apple, home to the nation’s largest school district, has already begun phasing in required curriculums for all elementary schools last year, while other states have also followed suit in recent years. Mississippi, in particular, has significantly improved its education ranking with the help of this new approach.

“Reading is the foundation of our education system, but New York State is currently not meeting basic reading proficiency levels,” Hochul said in a statement. “We cannot continue to allow our kids to fall further behind by utilizing outdated and discredited approaches to reading comprehension.”

Clickbait Style Titles for This Article

“New York Pushes to Improve Education System with Phonics-Based Instruction”
“Governor Kathy Hochul Boosts Reading Proficiency Across New York Schools”
“Big Apple Skips Ahead in Education Rankings with Phonics-Based Instruction”
“Governor Hochul Calls for Outdated Reading Comprehension to Be Replaced with Updated Methodology”
“A Look into Governor Hochul’s Plan to Prioritize Phonics in New York Schools”