Governor Hochul Unveils ‘Back to Basics’ Plan to Improve Reading Proficiency

Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday unveiled her Back to Basics plan to improve reading proficiency in New York as a part of her 2024 State of the State. To transition New York to reading instruction that teaches students the foundational skills they need to become proficient readers, Governor Hochul will introduce legislation that ensures evidence-based best practices are used throughout New York. The Governor will also propose $10 million in state investments to train 20,000 teachers in Science of Reading instructional best practices, and announced an expansion of SUNY and CUNY’s microcredentialing programs for teachers focused on the Science of Reading, to ensure our current and future teachers seeking advanced education are best prepared.

Governor Hochul said, “We cannot continue to allow our kids to fall further behind by utilizing outdated and discredited approaches to reading comprehension. Our Back to Basics initiative will reset how schools approach reading, returning to scientifically proven techniques. Along with investments in teacher training programs, we are tackling this issue head on to make sure our teachers and kids are set up for success.”
The ability to read by third grade is an important indicator of a student’s future success. Students who do not achieve proficiency by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school, with dropout rates even more pronounced for students of color and students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally, failure to ensure reading proficiency at an early age has a cascading effect, potentially derailing a student’s academic trajectory, impacting future earning potential, health, and wellbeing. Recognizing the urgent need to improve reading proficiency and ensure student success, more than 30 states have transitioned to a ‘back-to-basics’ approach.
As a part of her 2024 State of the State, Governor Hochul is announcing several initiatives to get New York kids back on track.

Governor Hochul’s Back to Basics reading plan takes statewide action to ensure that every school district utilizes instructional best practices grounded in the Science of Reading. Governor Hochul will seek passage this year of legislation to require that the State Education Department (SED) promulgate instructional best practices in reading instruction, and that school districts adopt those practices. This approach includes teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension. 
By September of 2025, all school districts will need to certify with SED that their curriculum, instructional strategies, and teacher professional development align with all elements of the instructional best practices.
Governor Hochul also announced $10 million for teacher training programs to ensure teachers are prepared to utilize evidence-based standards in the classroom. The New York State United Teachers and the United Federation Teachers have already begun training thousands of teachers in the Science of Reading, and this funding would support the training of 20,000 additional teachers and elementary school teaching assistants. 
To prepare New York’s current and future teachers seeking advanced education, Governor Hochul’s Back to Basics plan also includes enhancing and expanding the SUNY and CUNY Microcredential Program for Teachers focused on the Science of Reading.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. said, “Governor Hochul’s proposed $10 million investment to support thousands of teachers in implementing the Science of Reading will enable generations of students to be strong readers, and successful citizens. SUNY is the largest training ground for and educator of New York’s teachers. We’re proud of the Science of Reading microcredential now in place at SUNY New Paltz, and we look forward to growing the program, the skills of our teachers, and the success of our students, further.”
Assemblymember Robert Carroll said, “Governor Hochul correctly names and identifies one of the root causes of our state’s literacy crisis – the use of curricula and approaches to teaching literacy not grounded in the science of reading. I have been a staunch advocate for following the science of reading and as person with dyslexia know first-hand how important the use of evidence-based methods are. The research is clear that all students do better when teachers are trained on the science of reading and evidence-based practices are implemented.