From Literacy Crisis to Classroom Transformation: Why I Want NYC Reads to Succeed
My name is Kate Gutwillig, and I am a New York City elementary school teacher. I was part of the group of educators who advocated for NYC Reads because I was deeply concerned about the literacy crisis in our city. For years, too many of our schools used ineffective methods, leaving New York students ranked 37th in fourth-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), with even more concerning disparities for our Black and Latino students.
When I first learned that NYC Reads would provide all elementary school students with high-quality ELA curricula options, I felt hopeful for one major reason: city leadership listened to educators. Now, we need them to continue listening to ensure this initiative succeeds, as it was intended.
As an educator in Phase 2 of the rollout and in my first year implementing the curriculum, I’ve seen bright spots and challenges that I hope city leaders will consider.