The North Carolina State Board of Education recently approved new standards for English classes focused on reading and writing.
The new standards build upon the phonics-based “science of reading” methodology, which was mandated for elementary schools in 2021 and for which all elementary teachers completed 160 hours of training by 2024. This approach will now extend into middle and high schools in an effort to improve overall literacy skills.
“It’s been lots of hard work over several years to get us where we are with these standards, but we’re very excited about the effect they’re going to have in our classrooms … [the standards] are strong, coherent, and aligned with the science of reading,” said Jill Camnitz, chair of the student learning and achievement committee.”
The revised standards also offer teachers greater flexibility in instructional materials. Teachers now have the option to incorporate a wider variety of texts, including digital media, audio, video, and contemporary literature that may cross traditional genres. Students will have more opportunities to engage with different text types, such as spoken word and speeches, under the revised standards.
Dr. Robert Luebke, director of the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation, noted that much work remains to be done in reading and writing proficiency for NC students.
“EOG test results tell us that 46% of eighth graders in North Carolina — almost half of eighth graders — did not achieve grade level proficiency in reading,” said Luebke. “Declining literacy skills is rooted in many changes. However, a renewed emphasis on phonics and phonics instruction is one change that is sure to improve skills and test scores. We cannot begin soon enough.”
The new standards are set to take effect in the 2027-28 school year. State officials plan to provide training for middle and high school teachers, though specific state funding for this is not yet in place, with the NC Department of Public Instruction exploring options.
The 2024 numbers for reading comprehensive, based around the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), showed that NC students performed above the national average, but lingering impacts of education loss from the COVID-19 pandemic persist. Scores in three of the four tested areas remain below pre-pandemic levels, but the percentage of students scoring at or above proficiency in both fourth and eighth-grade math increased since 2022.
The new NAEP scores for 2025 are scheduled to be released in late January.
