By Organ Mountain News on Jul 13, 2026

WNMU teacher preparation programs earn ‘A+’ grades for reading instruction

Two Western New Mexico University teacher preparation programs earned “A+” grades in a national review of how future educators are trained to teach reading.

Students listen as a teacher leads a classroom lesson. Western New Mexico University’s undergraduate and graduate elementary teacher preparation programs earned “A+” grades in a 2026 national review of reading instruction. (Quilia / Unsplash)

National review recognizes undergraduate and graduate elementary education programs for covering the five core components of the science of reading

Organ Mountain News report

SILVER CITY - Two Western New Mexico University teacher preparation programs earned “A+” grades in a national review of how colleges train future elementary school teachers in reading instruction.

The National Council on Teacher Quality awarded its highest rating to WNMU’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program and its Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education with Certification program.

The ratings were included in the organization’s 2026 “Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation,” which evaluated more than 700 teacher preparation programs nationwide.

The review examined whether programs cover five components of evidence-based reading instruction: comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, phonics and vocabulary.

Programs receiving an “A+” covered all five areas with minimal use of practices that conflict with current reading research, according to the council.

WNMU Associate Professor of Reading and Literacy Catherine Gregorius said the university has worked to align its coursework with science of reading and structured literacy requirements.

“We are committed to preparing teachers who know how to teach reading well and support reading development for all New Mexico students K-12,” Gregorius said.

Gregorius said WNMU’s reading coursework goes beyond the scope of the council’s review and also emphasizes language development, lifelong literacy and helping students develop an enjoyment of reading.

“We know that we can improve reading achievement and literacy development with knowledgeable, caring teachers and attention to language development that is the foundation for literacy,” she said.

The council reported that the share of programs earning an “A” increased from 26% in 2023 to 53% in 2026.

However, the report found that 47% of programs still do not prepare teachers in all five core components of reading instruction. It also found that 20% continue to include methods the council considers ineffective or unsupported by research.

The report further concluded that many programs do not provide enough training to help struggling readers, including students with dyslexia, English learners and students who speak varieties of English other than General American English.

The review process included an analysis of course syllabi, lecture schedules, textbooks, reading lists, assignments and exams.

Detailed program ratings and scorecards are available through the National Council on Teacher Quality’s online portal. Information about WNMU degree and certificate programs is available through the university’s website.

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