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Top-Rated Science of Reading Teacher Preparation

Grace College School of Education

Indiana's Top-Rated Science of Reading Teacher Preparation Program. Choosing a teacher preparation program is one of the most consequential decisions you will make — not just for your career, but for the hundreds of children you will teach. The ratings below are independently validated through the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) and Teacher Preparation Inspection USA (TPI-US) and are evidence that Grace's program will prepare you in the most critical area of early childhood education: teaching children to read.

A+

NCTQ Reading Foundations — 60/60 points

100%

TPI-US “Strong” Ratings Across All 3 Review Areas

"Best in Nation"

Remark from TPI-US Co-Founder on Grace’s Programming

“The center received high praise from one of the TPI-US co-founders, who also noted that our programming was among the best in the nation. I couldn't be more proud of our team and the hard work that has contributed to these top-tier ratings.”

Cheryl Bremer Dean School of Education; Professor of Education
Dr. Cheryl Bremer, Dean, Grace College School of Education
What Is the Science of Reading?

The Science of Reading is decades of converging research from cognitive science, linguistics, and neuroscience on how children actually learn to read. It centers on five pillars: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

How Does It Define Teacher Quality?

Teachers who are rigorously trained in these five areas can identify reading difficulties early, intervene precisely, and produce measurably better outcomes for the children they teach — especially children who struggle. The problem is that NCTQ’s national research found the majority of programs they reviewed fail to adequately prepare teacher candidates in evidence-based reading instruction. That is why these ratings matter.

The NCTQ Rating: A+ Across All Five Reading Components

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) independently evaluates teacher preparation programs across the United States, reviewing course syllabi, required texts, and program materials to assess alignment with evidence-based reading instruction. Their Reading Foundations standard is widely regarded as the most rigorous national benchmark for the quality of teacher preparation programs in literacy.

In 2024, as part of a multi-phased audit administered by the Indiana Department of Education, NCTQ reviewed Grace College’s elementary education literacy coursework against five components of effective reading instruction. Grace received 12 out of 12 points on every component — earning an overall A+ rating. NCTQ grades teacher preparation programs on a scale that most programs do not reach. An A+ represents a program that exceeds NCTQ’s standard for evidence-based reading preparation across every component evaluated. Grace received the highest possible score on every single component.

Grace College NCTQ Reading Foundations Score Breakdown

Reading Component Score NCTQ Grade
Phonemic Awareness Instruction 12/12 A+
Phonics Instruction 12/12 A+
Fluency Instruction 12/12 A+
Vocabulary Instruction 12/12 A+
Reading Comprehension Instruction 12/12 A+
Overall NCTQ Reading Foundations Rating 60/60 A+
The Center for Literacy and Learning

At the heart of Grace’s science of reading preparation is the Center for Literacy and Learning — one of four Centers of Excellence on Grace’s campus, and the resource that TPI-US inspectors specifically highlighted during their visit.

The Center exists to promote Science of Reading evidence-based practices while collaborating with local school districts to create dynamic, high-quality clinical placements for Grace teacher candidates.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

NCTQ (National Council on Teacher Quality) independently reviewed Grace’s elementary education literacy coursework and awarded the program 12 out of 12 points on all five components of effective reading instruction — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. An A+ represents the highest possible score, indicating that Grace’s reading preparation exceeds NCTQ’s national standard. You can verify this directly at teacherquality.nctq.org.

NCTQ reviews program documents — syllabi, required texts, and course materials. TPI-US (Teacher Preparation Inspection USA) sends trained inspectors to campus for an on-site visit. During Grace’s five-day October 2025 inspection, inspectors observed Grace student teachers in real K-12 classrooms, interviewed Grace faculty supervisors, and spoke directly with Indiana school district principals and HR departments about Grace graduates they have hired. A 100% “strong” rating from TPI-US is therefore a stronger form of validation than a document review — it reflects what the program actually does in practice, not just what its materials say.

Yes. Grace College’s School of Education is accredited by CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation), the national gold standard for teacher preparation program quality. The program is also recognized by ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) and is an approved Educator Preparation Provider through the Indiana Department of Education. In 2023, Grace received the Frank Murray Leadership Recognition from CAEP for continuous improvement.

Yes. Grace’s Transition to Teaching program is a fully online graduate-level pathway to Indiana teacher licensure in as little as 12 months (secondary education) or 18 months (elementary education). It is open to anyone with an accredited bachelor’s degree in any field and includes a short on-campus residency. Career changers complete the same rigorous Science of Reading preparation that earned Grace its NCTQ A+ and TPI-US recognition.

Grace College requires more than 150 hours of classroom experience in K-12 schools before the formal student teaching semester — beginning as early as your first semester. This means Grace candidates arrive in their cooperating classrooms with substantial real-world experience, observed and supervised throughout by Grace faculty.

“Ensuring that every teacher candidate is fully prepared to teach children how to read is essential. The results of the Science of Reading audit at Grace College affirm our deep commitment to excellence and to grounding our preparation program in evidence-based practices. Our candidates graduate ready to deliver instruction that changes the trajectory of a child's life.”

Rachael Hoffert Chair, Elementary Education; Associate Professor of Education
Dr. Rachael Hoffert, Chair, Elementary Education Department & Executive Director, Center for Literacy and Learning

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