In the News

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is expanding its footprint in New York, which is good news for early childhood literacy efforts, according to EdTrust-New York’s Jenn O’Connor and United Way of the Greater Capital Region’s Peter Gannon.

A Q&A with Jeff Smink, deputy director of EdTrust-New York.

What makes a current reading reform effort in New York state more unusual is its emphasis on strengthening the foundational skills of young children well before they reach kindergarten.

Education advocates called on state leaders Tuesday to step up their commitment to phonics-based instruction to address poor reading skills in students across New York. New York remains one of the few states in the country that has not passed legislation focused on the “science of reading” – a phonics-based approach to literacy instruction that is rooted in research.

Education advocates are pressuring state and local leaders to take action to boost literacy rates among students. The New York Campaign for Early Literacy — a new statewide movement of nearly 80 organizations and individuals representing children and families, including parents, students, educators and nonprofits — plans to raise awareness about the statewide literacy crisis and push for policy changes to ensure more students can read on grade level by the end of third grade.

The Education Trust-NY is launching what it calls “The New York Campaign for Early Literacy” Tuesday at the state Capitol. Capital Tonight received a preview of the campaign, which advocates say is necessary because the state ranks relatively low: 37th in 4th grade reading on the 2022 National Assessment of Education Progress.

The Education Trust New York says in Rochester, 89% of students are not reading at grade level; in Syracuse, it’s 87%; and Buffalo is only doing slightly better, with 76% of students not meeting grade level expectations.

Poverty plays a large role in attendance and reading ability, according to experts. “A lot of this is about opportunity gaps; what students have access to, both outside of school and inside of school,” said Jeff Smink, deputy director of The Education Trust – New York, who focuses on the barriers students face in attaining an equitable education. “So much of this is just a resource issue,” Smink said.

Gov. Hochul on Wednesday introduced a framework to overhaul reading curriculum across New York State, emphasizing phonics, after New York City officials introduced similar, sweeping changes to literacy education in city elementary school districts.