Thank you to everyone who joined us Sunday for Confronting the Frankenstein Curriculum. The slide deck will be in your inbox by this weekend!
This week, we’re turning to another place where families look for answers.
Earlier this month, Shelter Rock Public Library opened its doors for our Let Us Read screening and panel discussion. Watching families fill that room was a reminder of something we don’t talk about enough: for many parents, the library is where the search for answers begins.
When a parent first senses that reading isn’t clicking for their child, they often don’t start with a formal meeting at school. They start with story time, a conversation with a children’s librarian, or a stack of books recommended to bring home. They want help, and they’re looking for someone to guide them through their thousand questions.
New York now requires schools to use evidence-based reading instruction. The advice families get at the library should point in the same direction. A bill passed by the Legislature this year would help make that happen, and this week, we’re asking you to help get it signed.
Everything you need is below.
THE LIBRARIES LITERACY EDUCATION GUIDANCE ACT
S8044A/A5835B would give every public and association library in New York research-based guidance on how children learn to read, from pre-K through third grade. The State Librarian, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, would create the guidance using the best practices the state already set for schools under Education Law §818. It covers phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension including background knowledge, oral language, and writing, and it will be updated every two years with library feedback.
The bill passed the Senate 57 to 1 with bipartisan support. It now needs Governor Hochul’s signature to become law.
THE NUMBERS HAVEN’T MOVED
Just 43% of New York third graders scored proficient on this year’s preliminary state ELA results, the same as two years ago. On the 2024 NAEP, nearly 70% of our fourth graders scored below Proficient.
Schools can’t close this gap alone. Libraries reach families before kindergarten, after dismissal, and all summer long.
Take Action
YOUR LETTER IS ALREADY WRITTEN
We’ve drafted a letter to Governor Hochul urging her to sign S8044A/A5835B. Add your name, personalize it if you’d like, and send it. It takes two minutes.
NOV
03
Faster Fluency
Join Maryanne Wolf in a detailed, actionable conversation about automaticity, fluency, and higher-order thinking to help build fluency.
Examine which instructional practices build fluency without reducing learning to rote memorization.
Learn More →
Reading Under the Lights
On October 5, Massapequa High School’s turf field became a reading space.
About 175 kindergarten, first, and second grade students from the district’s six elementary schools gathered for the inaugural Reading Under the Lights, where high school students read alongside them.
It’s a reminder that a love of reading grows when a whole community shows up for it.
Become a District Lead
Growing our voice means growing our impact. We're looking for passionate Science of Reading advocates to serve as the point person for their school district. Help literacy advocacy accountability be heard.
As a District Lead, you'll help us:
Be the contact for LILC members and parents in your district
Spread the word on our events, campaigns, and district updates
Encourage turnout at BOE meetings + public comment opportunities
