Washington D.C.
State Information
The purpose of this document is to capture state-by-state information of policy and guidelines related to the science of reading / evidence-based reading instruction to be presented on The Reading League Compass, a website of reliable and reputable guidance and resources for targeted stakeholder groups.
Local control?
Yes
Has your state passed legislation and/or non-legislated rule changes related to the science of reading?
Yes. Dyslexia Legislation requires LEAs to adopt a science-based reading curriculum for the 2024-2025 school year.
Does your state have an approved curriculum list?
No
Was evidence-aligned reading instruction a consideration for the curriculum review?
No
Please describe any other instructional-materials work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
Currently, OSSE provides resources to support High-Quality Instructional Materials related to literacy, math, and science.
Does your state mandate or provide guidance on early screening?
Yes. The dyslexia legislation requires LEAs to select and administer a universal screener to students in the 2023-2024 school year.
Does your state have policy or guidance related to MTSS that incorporates information on the science of reading and/or evidence-based literacy practices?
Yes. OSSE has non-regulatory guidance for MTSS and evidence-based literacy practices in the DC Comprehensive State Literacy Plan. Section 3 of this plan provides general information on key components of MTSS. Section 4 focuses on Evidence-Based Practices for Literacy.
Does your state have policy or guidance related to instruction and/or professional development
No
Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading?
Yes, Science of Reading training courses are available to all educators in the District.
The science of reading course was developed in partnership with TNTP and lives on our Learning Management System. The course is an asynchronous course that provides content on all strands of the reading rope. Each module contains research, reflection questions, online learning activities, instructional video examples and an assessment that participants must complete before moving on to the next module.
The course is divided into the following 10 modules
- Module 1: Literacy as Equity
- Module 2: What is Excellent Foundational Skills Instruction?
- Module 3: Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
- Module 4: Phonics and Word Recognition
- Module 5: Fluency and Connected Text
- Module 6: Putting It All Together: The Foundational Skills Block
- Module 7: Making Sense of Complex Text
- Module 8: Building Knowledge and Vocabulary Through Text
- Module 9: Evidence-Based Discussion and Writing
- Module 10: Course Synthesis: Goal-Setting and Action Planning
Please describe any grant work that names the science of reading and/or evidence-aligned instruction including links, where applicable
Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant
High Quality Instructional Materials Grant
Has your state reviewed standards for alignment to the science of reading?
No
Does your state have guidance or resources for families related to the science of reading?
No
Do you have policy or guidance regarding how to leverage evidence-based practices to support secondary students?
No
Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading and Multilingual learners?
No
Does your state have licensure or program approval criteria to ensure Educator Preparation Programs are aligned to the science of reading?
Yes, OSSE’s regulations (5A DCMR ŞŞ1704.6, 1706.7) for the state approval of educator preparation providers (EPPs) and subject area programs require that EPPs that prepare candidates in subject area programs with primary responsibility of literacy instruction (e.g., elementary education, early childhood education, special education, reading, and other subject area program as determined by OSSE) must demonstrate to OSSE that its candidates complete coursework and demonstrate competency in each of the five components of scientifically-based reading instruction.
Do you have a “contact us” website that we can share publicly on TRL Compass?
Interactive State Map
Use the interactive state map to find descriptions of state-level policy adoption, guidance, and practices related to the science of reading. State policy may include legislation incorporating training or practices related to the science of reading or state education agency guidance regarding policy, professional development, curricula, instruction, or assessment.
Filter by specific topic area(s) to find state-specific work:
The Reading League expresses gratitude to our collaborators and associates within the state education agencies for sharing their state-specific data. This data will undergo semi-annual updates, contingent upon the availability and resources of the respective state agencies. For any inquiries, clarifications, or updates, please reach out to compass@thereadingleague.org.
