State of the States: Evidence-Based Literacy Policies for Inservice and Preservice Teachers

Castles A. Rastle K. Nation K. (2018). Ending the reading wars: Reading acquisition from novice to expert. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 19(1), 5–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618772271

Darling-Hammond L. Oakes J. Wojcikiewicz S. Hyler M. E. Guha R. Podolsky A. Kini T. Cook-Harvey C. Mercer C. Harrell A. (2019). Preparing teachers for deeper learning (research brief). Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/preparing-teachers-deeper-learning-brief

Everatt J. Arrow A. Denston A. Sleeman M. (2023). Dyslexia in Aotearoa New Zealand. In Elbeheri G. Siang L. (Eds.), The Routledge international handbook of dyslexia in education (pp. 228–237). Routledge.

ExcelinEd. (2025). Comprehensive early literacy policy: A state-by-state analysis of fundamental principles. ExcelinEd Policy Toolkit. https://excelined.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ExcelinEd-50-States-Early-Literacy-Report-2024.pdf

Hudson A. K. Moore K. A. Han B. Koh P. W. Binks-Cantrell E. Joshi R. M. (2021). Elementary teachers’ knowledge of foundational literacy skills: A critical piece of the puzzle in the science of reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(S1), S287–S315. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.408

Moats L. (2020). Teaching reading is rocket science: What expert teachers of reading should know and be able to do. American Federation of Teachers. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1260264.pdf

National Council on Teacher Quality. (2023). State of the states: Reading policies dataset. https://teacherquality.nctq.org/datasets.do?d=Everything

National Council on Teacher Quality. (2024). Five policy actions to strengthen implementation of the science of reading. https://www.nctq.org

National Council on Teacher Quality. (n.d.). About NCTQ. https://www.nctq.org/about/

National Reading Panel (U.S.), & National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U.S.) . (2000). Report of the national reading panel: Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/smallbook

The Pakistan Code. Ministry of Law and Justice. (2022). Dyslexia special measures act, 2022. https://pakistancode.gov.pk/english/UY2FqaJw1-apaUY2Fqa-apaUY2Npa5lqaw%3D%3D-sg-jjjjjjjjjjjjj

Shanahan T. (2020). What constitutes a science of reading instruction? Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S235–S247. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.349

Thomas P. L. (2023). NEPC review: Teacher prep review: Strengthening elementary reading instruction. National Education Policy Center. https://nepc.colorado.edu/review/teacher-prep

U.S. Department of Education. (2025). Proposed priorities and definitions—Secretary’s supplemental priorities and definitions on evidence-based literacy, education choice, and returning education to the states (Notice No. 2025-09093: 90 FR 21710). Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/21/2025-09093/proposed-priorities-and-definitions-secretarys-supplemental-priorities-and-definitions-on