DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO) — A bill in the Iowa Senate would require elementary school teachers to switch their reading curriculum to the Science of Reading.
The Science of Reading is a school of thought that uses scientific research-backed techniques to teach children how to read.
The Iowa Department of Education has resources that further explain the Science of Reading.
Jill Caton Johnson, a Professor of Education at Drake University, said that as more research about how children learn comes out, teachers need to adapt their curriculum.
“The more we look at science and ground ourselves back to the research, I think as a profession we’re becoming more, we’re becoming better prepared to respond to what the current research is telling us. And what we’re finding is that kids need that word recognition strand and that language comprehension and so how do we help and support teachers to grow in that,” Johnson said.
If the bill passes The Science of Reading would be required to be taught during the 2026 school year.