By Jessica Werntz

Sean entered my third-grade classroom with a behavior plan, a reputation for acting out and a clear mantra: “Basketball rules, reading drools.” I was determined to help him — but quickly realized I didn’t know how. The tools I’d been given relied on predictable texts and picture clues, not on teaching him how words actually work.

So I did what many teachers do: I worked harder. I earned a master’s degree and a reading specialist certification, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. Still, when it came to helping struggling readers like Sean, I was no better equipped. It wasn’t until I became an intervention specialist — working directly with students with specific reading gaps — that I finally discovered structured literacy, a method grounded in the science of reading that focuses on phonics, decoding, and how the brain learns to read.

I was stunned. Two different state universities had never taught me these evidence-based practices. Instead, I had been trained to follow ineffective scripts while my students fell further behind. I wasn’t able to help Sean in time — but his story now drives my mission to ensure no teacher is left to figure this out on their own.

And they shouldn’t have to.

The Nation’s Report Card shows that only 1 in 3 Pennsylvania fourth-graders are proficient readers, with stark disparities—just 16% of Black and Hispanic students meet the standard. By third grade, students shift from learning to read to reading to learn. When they haven’t mastered reading by then, the consequences compound quickly: academic struggles, increased dropout risk and long-term economic challenges. These outcomes are predictable — and preventable.

Which brings us to the real issue: preparation.

Teachers should not have to discover the science of reading years into their careers, after countless students have struggled unnecessarily. Pennsylvania must ensure every teacher enters the classroom already equipped with the knowledge and tools to teach reading effectively.

That starts with accountability. The Pennsylvania Department of Education must follow through by requiring all educator preparation programs to align with structured literacy. Universities must ensure that the professors teaching future educators are themselves trained in evidence-based reading and writing practices.

To be fair, my undergraduate program in the early 2000s came at a time when this research was still emerging. But by 2010, the science of reading had gained widespread attention through research, advocacy, and legislation. Had my university incorporated these updates, I might have been able to address Sean’s specific needs — like his ability to read only 16 words per minute, far below the grade-level expectation of 100.

Preparation also means practice. Aspiring teachers should be placed in student teaching classrooms that model structured literacy in action, using programs like those used at my school: Fundations and University of Florida Literacy Institute. These placements matter. Future teachers deserve to learn in environments where effective, research-based instruction is the norm — not the exception.

Pennsylvania already is taking a step in the right direction. Act 47 requires all schools to complete a K–3 curriculum survey this spring acknowledging their use of structured literacy aligned instructional programs. That data should be shared with universities so they can place student teachers in districts that are aligned with structured literacy practices.

Finally, we must ensure that teacher licensure reflects what actually matters. If we expect educators to teach reading using evidence-based methods, then those methods must be assessed. The state should establish a clear timeline to update licensure exams to include the science of reading.

When I testified before the state Board of Education, I shared that my own licensure exam included no questions on structured literacy — offering no real measure of whether I was prepared to teach reading effectively. That is a gap we can no longer afford.

I cannot go back and change what happened for Sean. But we can change what happens next for other students.

By aligning teacher preparation, clinical experience and licensure with the science of reading, Pennsylvania can ensure that future educators walk into their classrooms ready — and that students get the strong start they deserve.

Jessica Werntz is an Intervention Specialist at Highland Elementary School in Ephrata and 2025-2026 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow.