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Candidates and educators urge return to evidence‑based reading instruction, including phonics
Summary
Several forum participants said district literacy instruction should emphasize phonics and phonemic awareness as foundational skills, and called for teacher feedback and potential curriculum changes aligned with research.
Forum participants debated literacy instruction methods and described a local interest in evidence‑based phonics and the ‘science of reading.’
One audience questioner asked where school boards and superintendents were when literacy methods shifted away from phonics years ago. Candidate Christina Coughlin and others responded that current practice in many districts is moving back toward the science of reading and that phonics and phonemic awareness are essential foundations for early reading.
Coughlin said instruction must remain comprehensive: “We also need to focus on fluency, reading comprehension… so it needs to be, not just phonics, but that is the base.” Candidates emphasized consulting teachers to assess whether current curriculum and programs are effective and urged the board to support changes supported by research and practitioner feedback.
No formal curriculum changes were proposed at the forum; candidates said they would seek teacher input and consider research and state guidance when evaluating literacy programs.
