Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Foundations and Leadership

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Controversies over the best practices for teaching children to read have persisted for decades (Thomas, 2022). Researchers and practitioners continue to identify best practices, curricula, and assessment tools to produce young readers who are ready to "read to learn" by the end of third grade. Since the 1990s, accountability has primarily focused on reading, particularly on students' challenges with reading comprehension. To address these challenges, the National Reading Panel was established in 1997. The panel was charged with synthesizing research findings on the most effective methods for teaching children to read (Shanahan, 2005). More recently, the concerning reading performance of students on nationwide assessments across various states has intensified the urgent call for reading reform (Neuman et al., 2023). A new reading movement, the Science of Reading, has increased in popularity over the past decade, aligning reading instruction more closely with research. (Aukerman & Birch, 2025). This research compared the early reading literacy policies of Louisiana and Mississippi to identify relationships between the components of these policies and third graders' performance on statewide assessments. It juxtaposed the inclusion of the five pillars of effective reading instruction (as suggested by the National Reading Panel), Science of Reading claims, and other prominent reading models (all represented via an integrated model) with other components in the policies, along with students' reading performance on state-standardized ELA assessments. The study identified differences in student performance based on the adoption of early reading literacy skills identified in the integrated model. The results of this inquiry will inform efforts related to early reading literacy policy.

Date

2-6-2026

DOI

https://proquest.com/docview/3347927523

First Committee Chair

Roslin Growe

First Committee Member

Jin Lee

Second Committee Member

Min-Seok Choi

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