The Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education (certification track) and the Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education programs at Georgia Southern University’s College of Education (COE) received “A” grades from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for preparing future educators to teach reading to elementary students.

The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, released in June 2026, spotlights Georgia Southern for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. The ratings recognize COE’s excellence in teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

NCTQ’s methodology is informed by a panel of reading experts, teacher preparation faculty, reading advocates and measurement experts. To evaluate the quality of preparation being provided, a team of experts at NCTQ analyzed syllabi, including lecture schedules and topics, background reading materials, class assessments, assignments and opportunities to practice instruction in required literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates at Georgia Southern. 

To earn an “A,” programs must demonstrate that coursework for future elementary teachers includes all five core components of scientifically based reading instruction and avoid teaching more than three instructional methods that are unsupported by the research on effective reading instruction. 

For Amy Lingo, Ed.D., dean of COE, the mission of reading is a longtime passion. Having served as the founding director of the Kentucky Reading Research Center, she is a veteran of large-scale literacy projects. No matter how big the scope of the work is, she has learned the fight for literacy comes down to remembering the individual educators who serve their students every day.

“At Georgia Southern, we’re not just preparing teachers, counselors and principals,” said Lingo. “We’re shaping the next generation of educators who will inspire thousands of young minds across Georgia.”