New York Assembly Bill A03937

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/30/25
• Refer: 1/30/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires the commissioner of education to establish and enforce rules and regulations to incorporate at least a three credit course devoted to the instructional techniques necessary for effective literacy instruction which shall include delivering structured, systematic, explicit, evidence-based instruction aligned with the science of reading for prospective teachers.

Summary

A03937 would direct the New York State Commissioner of Education to require every in-state higher education institution that offers undergraduate or graduate education or educational administration programs to include at least one three-credit course focused on effective literacy instruction. The required course would need to cover language-based teaching methods and structured, systematic, explicit, evidence-based instruction aligned with the science of reading, also referred to as structured literacy. The bill is aimed at prospective and current teachers by embedding this content within the existing literacy coursework required in teacher preparation programs. It does not create a new standalone certification requirement, but instead mandates that at least three of the six credits currently required for literacy instruction be devoted to these science-of-reading approaches.

Impact

The bill would amend the Education Law by adding a new subdivision to section 305, giving the commissioner authority to establish and enforce regulations on teacher-preparation curricula at colleges and universities in New York. Its practical effect would be to standardize part of teacher training statewide, requiring accredited education programs to devote at least three credits to structured literacy and evidence-based reading instruction. This would affect institutions of higher education, teacher candidates, and ultimately K-12 students through changes in how future teachers are trained to teach reading.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a policy response to concerns about reading instruction quality and teacher preparation. The sponsorship pattern suggests support from a bipartisan or cross-ideological coalition, which often indicates broad interest in improving literacy outcomes. No contrary sentiment is documented in the provided record.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the state mandate over teacher-preparation curricula, particularly whether the commissioner should prescribe specific course content for colleges and universities. Another possible issue is how much flexibility institutions would retain in meeting the requirement and whether the bill’s definition of structured literacy and science of reading is sufficiently clear. Supporters are likely to favor the requirement as a way to improve reading instruction, while critics may object to one-size-fits-all regulation or to the reallocation of existing literacy credits rather than adding new coursework.