santa Fe, NM – New Mexico education officials are celebrating a significant increase in reading proficiency scores among elementary students, attributing the gains to the statewide implementation of structured literacy approaches.Preliminary data released today shows a 5% rise in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level reading benchmarks, marking the largest single-year improvement in over a decade.
The gains come after New Mexico invested heavily in professional progress for teachers focused on structured literacy – a research-based approach emphasizing systematic and explicit instruction in phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The initiative began in earnest following legislation passed in 2019 and accelerated with additional funding in subsequent years.
“These results are incredibly encouraging,” said Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart in a press conference. “We’ve known for too long that too many of our students were struggling with the foundational skills needed to become proficient readers.Structured literacy is providing our teachers with the tools and knowledge to address these challenges head-on.”
Prior to the shift, many New Mexico schools utilized balanced literacy, an approach that incorporates a wider range of reading strategies, including guided reading and autonomous reading. Critics of balanced literacy argue it doesn’t provide sufficient explicit instruction in foundational skills, especially for struggling readers.
The state’s literacy crisis has been a long-standing concern. new Mexico consistently ranked near the bottom nationally in reading assessments. The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed that only 26% of New Mexico fourth-graders were proficient in reading,compared to the national average of 33%.
Officials caution that while the 5% increase is promising,significant work remains. The state aims to continue expanding structured literacy training and support for teachers, with a goal of reaching all elementary schools by the 2025-2026 school year. Further data analysis, including breakdowns by demographic groups and school districts, is expected in the coming weeks.
