New York State The Path Forward Initiative

In Fall 2023, New York State was chosen to participate in the third cohort of the Hunt Institute’s The Path Forward initiative. The goal of the initiative is to improve literacy instruction in schools by supporting and integrating the science of reading into teacher preparation program and certification requirements.  

In collaboration with the New York State Education Department and the Hunt Institute, Literacy Academy Collective regularly convenes and facilitates the work of the NYS Path Forward team. The team is comprised of education leaders and diverse stakeholders and met regularly during the 2023-2024 school year to develop an Action Plan.

The New York State Action Plan: The Path Forward was released in October 2024 and includes initiatives in six areas. The Action Plan focuses on teacher preparation programs in five areas: early childhood education (birth-grade 2), childhood education (grades 1-6), English to speakers of other languages, literacy, and students with disabilities. 

The New York State Education Department will be completing the activities in the first two areas of the Action Plan. Information about the Action Plan and the NYS Path Forward Team is provided below.