“Thank you so much Chancellor Banks for finally bringing phonics back to the school system of the City of New York so that our children will be able to read with comprehension, to be able to properly communicate, and to also finally not be deemed illiterate by society.”
– Quiann Simpkins, Co-Founder of the NYC School Safety Coalition
As an immigrant, I learned to read English in fourth grade. Sounding out letters was the building blocks to reading and fluency. I’m glad that Chancellor Banks is instituting an evidence-based reading curriculum that uses phonics to teach kids to read. As the largest school system in this first world country, it’s about time we make bold changes to make sure all kids can read.
– Yiatin Chu, President of Asian Wave Alliance
“There is no Equity without Literacy. Chancellor Banks understands this. The promise of a public education means nothing if children do not learn how to read. I commend Chancellor Banks for calling a crisis a crisis and taking steps to address it. NYC Public School children will be the beneficiaries.”
– Maud Maron, Executive Director of Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR)
“The pandemic has exposed how parents should never assume that curriculum or school protocols are following the science. For over two decades, children have been falling behind further and further with the most vulnerable graduating illiterate. I applaud Chancellor Banks for finally, following the science of reading and bringing phonics to every New York City child.”
– Natalya Murakhver, Co-Founder of Restore Childhood
“We applaud the Mayor & Chancellor changing course away from a failed reading program used for decades to the science of reading that has strong multi-decade evidence of effectiveness. We hope they will also course correct to expand accelerated education with standardized testing for assessment and admissions which also have decades worth of evidence of effectiveness.”
– Chien Kwok, Co-President of PLACE NYC
“I applaud Chancellor Banks for implementing this new reading program. For years, parents have been asking for a return to phonics. The low proficiency rates on the English Language Arts and Math exams for the last two decades were evidence that the current reading program was not working.
We have been graduating students who are not college ready. Students are illiterate and innumerate. Now, with NYC Reads, we will properly educate NYC’s school children.”
– Mohammed Mardah, President, Africans Help Desk
Click here to read this week’s newspaper.
