Kymyona Burk: How Indiana became a leader in early literacy policy

The momentum behind early-literacy reform has grown significantly over the past two decades as more states recognize the connection between structured, evidence-based reading instruction and student outcomes.

At ExcelinEd, we recently updated our comprehensive Early Literacy Matters dashboard, which offers a detailed snapshot of the progress states are making—and the gaps that remain. Under our new ratings, three more states—Alabama, Indiana and South Carolina—have adopted all 18 fundamental early-literacy policies, joining Louisiana, North Carolina and Arkansas in setting a national standard for comprehensive literacy reform.

To put it simply, Alabama, Indiana and South Carolina have built a better foundation for students to learn how to read than most of the country. But this extraordinary feat didn’t happen overnight; it took years of carefully planned policy. Let’s look at some of the key changes that have happened across the country and in these three new standout states.

More states than ever before are committing to professional development grounded in the science of reading, so teachers receive the training they need to be successful. However, only a fraction of those states has fully implemented the policy.

Over the past year, seven more states—growing to a total of 31—have aligned their educator preparation program assessments with the science of reading. In South Carolina, the journey to a higher education standard included the recent passing of an amendment to the state’s Educator Preparation Program Assessment, which prospective teachers need to pass to become a licensed teacher. The amendment requires candidates to complete training courses that focus on evidence-based teaching solutions grounded in the science of reading, which has been proven to be the most effective approach in teaching students how to read. This change will be implemented during the 2025-2026 school year.

In Indiana, a 2023 bill to require science of reading training for teachers is going into effect this year. Prospective teachers must earn an early literacy endorsement. Indiana also sets itself apart for its adoption of high-quality instructional materials that align with the science of reading, ensuring teachers have access to materials that align with their training. School districts are required to report the materials they are using to teach students how to read, and the state has a vetted list of approved instructional materials.

Indiana is not alone in its goal of providing teachers with the best tools; 40 states have now adopted or provided guidance on the use of evidence-based instructional materials.

Alabama has perhaps one of the strongest literacy coaching programs in the country. Coaches are trained with evidence-based solutions and are assigned to each elementary school in the state. These coaches provide job-embedded training to newer teachers and teachers of K-3 students who are identified as struggling readers. Districts also have a regional literacy specialist to support the literacy coaches in each school and best assess how to use their support. This approach builds teacher capacity for addressing the needs of struggling readers while also strengthening their practice to focus on students’ core instructional needs.

These improvements do not mean states do not have more work to do. This year’s NAEP results continue to highlight literacy struggles nationwide, and states must continue to act with urgency.

The states leading the way in implementing strong, research-backed policies are the ones best positioned to see real gains in student reading proficiency in the coming years. Governors, legislators and education leaders can use our dashboard as a road map for action. There is always room for improvement, and the most successful reforms will be those that move beyond policy adoption into full-scale implementation.

We must continue this momentum until every child, in every state, has access to the high-quality reading instruction they deserve.•

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Burk is a senior policy fellow at Tallahassee, Florida-based ExcelinEd, an education policy nonprofit.