Peoria school board wisely returning to basics in reading
Peoria Public Schools is adopting evidence-based practices.
Peoria Public Schools is adopting a new reading curriculum to align instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade with evidence-based practices called the “science of reading.”
The science of reading is made up of five best practices in instruction, as first outlined by the National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development and reading comprehension.
The move is good news for students Peoria Public Schools, where 71% of third through eighth graders couldn’t read at grade level in the most recent state data.
They aren’t the only ones in the state who are struggling: Half of Illinois students couldn’t read at grade level in 2025.
Students need evidence-based reforms to ensure they get the instruction and support they need. States such as Mississippi, Florida and Colorado offer models for Illinois to ensure its students are well equipped for success through high school and beyond.
Because local school boards have significant decision-making autonomy, they don’t have to wait for state lawmakers to enact reforms. Others can follow Peoria’s lead and adopt an effective reading curriculum.
Local school boards can focus on investing in and improving literacy education by implementing five solutions based on proven reforms undertaken in Mississippi, Florida and Colorado:
- Provide an early universal reading screening for every student in first through third grades to identify reading deficiencies.
- Provide interventions for any such student with a deficiency.
- Notify parents and keep them engaged in their student’s reading deficiency diagnosis and intervention.
- Ensure schools use science-based instruction methods to teach reading.
- Discuss and determine grade promotion decisions with parents and teachers for students whose reading deficiencies are not remedied by the end of the school year.
To develop into strong learners, students must build a firm foundation of literacy skills in the first years of school. School boards should note their students’ performance on state reading assessments and pursue evidence-based reforms to build that foundation.