Education Elements Blog Racing to Implement the Science of Reading: Setting a Pace for Achieving Success

At the start of this year, several state leaders kicked off the year with strong commitments of money and resources to improve literacy in their schools through the immediate implementation of evidence-based reading instruction, often referred to as the “science of reading.”  The governors of New York and Maryland offered guidelines, not mandates, for school districts to focus on adopting reading instruction practices and materials that are evidence-based. In January, the Maryland State Board of Education approved a resolution declaring that all public schools align with the Science of Reading by the 2024-2025 school year but delayed these plans due to extensive revisions finalizing its comprehensive Science of Reading policy on October 22, 2024. With this, Maryland joins 39 other states and the District of Columbia that have committed to aligning with the science of reading over the past ten years.    These states’ goals are overarchingly the same, but their plans, timelines, and benchmarks differ. What do they need to consider and include to be successful in improving student reading outcomes?