NY A04780

Directs the Commissioner of Education to audit all undergraduate and graduate education and educational administration programs at New York higher education institutions to assess how effectively they teach the science of reading

Requires audits to evaluate whether programs adequately cover the five pillars of reading identified by the National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

Mandates assessment of whether programs use research-based methods including structured literacy, and whether they still rely on approaches research has shown to be ineffective, such as three-cueing, leveled texts, or implicit phonics

Requires each institution to submit an attestation confirming they have surveyed their education programs for compliance with effective literacy instruction standards

Findings must be reported to the Governor and legislative leaders by January 1 following the effective date or 150 days after enactment, whichever is later, with programs reviewed every four years thereafter