A view from within: A critique of North Carolina science of reading policy for teacher professional development

Abstract

North Carolina presents a compelling case of Science of Reading (SOR) legislation and policy. Few large states have embraced SOR as comprehensively and as rapidly (e.g., Schwartz, 2022). This conceptual article provides a rich description and critique of the centerpiece of SOR policy implementation in North Carolina: Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training (Moats & Tolman, 2019a, 2019b). LETRS was required for all K-5 teachers and offered to University of North Carolina System faculty as a result of SOR legislation (Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021). This two-year training cost at least $114 million to implement (Hui, 2023) despite limited evidence regarding improved student reading outcomes (Garet et al., 2008; Kuchle et al., 2018). Through reflection on our experiences in LETRS, including the teacher manuals, online modules, and synchronous trainings (Moats & Tolman, 2019a, 2019b), we identified concerns for the quality of training design and the validity of content. We raise important questions about a program that presents itself as comprehensive, scientifically grounded, and pedagogically neutral, but in reality, advances narrow, inaccurate, and deficit-oriented views of literacy and learners.