LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis-Clark State College’s Elementary Education bachelor’s program was one of only 15 programs nationwide to earn an A-plus grade for its early reading standards coursework from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), the organization announced on Monday.
NCTQ is a non-partisan, nonprofit research and policy organization. The organization’s goal is to help ensure every child has an effective teacher and that every teacher has the opportunity to be effective.
Each year NCTQ rates graduate-level and alternative route teacher preparation programs on how well they are preparing the next generation of teachers to succeed in the classroom. The organization released its 2020 Teacher Prep Review: Program Performance in Early Reading Instruction report on Monday, which researches the progress on the science of reading instruction in teacher preparation. LC State received the A-plus honor for its “exemplary coursework” and for having a program that “serves as a model of excellence for others.”
LC State received accolades for promoting the five essential components of reading, including explicit and repeated instruction on each component; support for instruction with high-quality textbooks that accurately detail established principles of scientifically-based reading practices; and opportunities for teacher candidates to demonstrate mastery through in-class assignments, tests, and instructional practice. Programs drop a full letter grade for each component that is not adequately addressed.
Only two other schools west of Texas, Utah State and Dixie State, were honored with an A-plus score.
LC State’s Teacher Education program is designed to prepare competent, caring teachers who have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to be effective in helping all students earn. The college was founded with the purpose to prepare qualified teachers and continues to follow that mission today through innovative programs.
LC State offers bachelor’s degrees in Elementary and Secondary Education and completion leads to an Idaho teaching certificate. Numerous areas of specialization also are available.
To learn more about LC State’s Teacher Education program, visit www.lcsc.edu/education.