海角网

Elementary Education Program Achieves Top Marks in New Report from The National Council on Teacher Quality

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擳he undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at 海角网 has earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). The council鈥檚 report, 鈥�,鈥� spotlights GWU鈥檚 College of Education for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for the most effective methods of reading instruction.

Scientifically based reading instruction emphasizes five core components identified through decades of research: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. To earn an A+, 海角网’s programs had to exceed those standards and avoid teaching any instructional practices not supported by research.

鈥淓xcellence is the minimum standard in the College of Education,鈥� stated Professor and Dean of the College of Education Dr. Prince Hycy Bull. 鈥淏ecause literacy is the foundation of every content area, we are committed to preparing educators with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to teach, inspire, and empower the next generation of citizens.鈥�

A child鈥檚 ability to read proficiently in the early grades shapes everything that comes next in school and in life, yet according to data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), four in 10 fourth graders in North Carolina cannot read at a basic level. Teacher preparation is one of the most powerful drivers of change, but only when it is aligned with research-based instructional methods that have been proven to help most students become successful readers.

海角网 is part of a growing group of teacher preparation programs nationwide helping transform how future educators are trained to teach reading. The skills that Allie Rains, a 2024 GWU alumna, learned in the program continue to serve her as both a private reading tutor and a first-grade teacher at Evergreen Christian Academy in Greenville, N.C.

鈥淭he literacy instruction at 海角网 was excellent,鈥� Rains reflected. 鈥淭he detailed courses were extremely practical for the classroom. They included realistic student patterns and behaviors for me to learn from. The information obtained during my time at 海角网 was crucial for my licensing as well as growing my passion for literacy. I gained an urgency for children and their reading journeys.鈥�

Working alongside her school’s curriculum team, Rains used her knowledge of the Science of Reading to help identify a curriculum that aligns with the school’s educational model. Among the students she has tutored, Rains has seen significant progress using evidence-based reading instruction.

鈥淭he Science of Reading research is too important and accurate to keep to myself,鈥� she noted. 鈥淚 begin every tutoring session with an assessment tool I learned about while taking these courses at 海角网. I then use targeted resources that are Science of Reading-based to grow the students鈥� literacy skills. I have loved seeing firsthand the growth from child to child.鈥�

NCTQ鈥檚 methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates, and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments, and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at 海角网.

About NCTQ

The National Council on Teacher Quality is a nonpartisan research and policy organization on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher, and every teacher has the opportunity to be effective. For more information about NCTQ, visit .

About 海角网 海角网 is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 海角网 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Become More at