A national review finds teacher-preparation programs have improved their alignment with evidence-based reading instruction since 2023, but outdated methods still reach the classroom. The report from the National Council on Teacher Quality evaluates whether preservice programs include five foundational reading components: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The review reports that since NCTQ’s last analysis, the share of programs earning an “A” more than doubled to 53%. Less than a quarter earned an “F,” a decline from more than a third in 2023, suggesting many colleges have updated syllabi, assessments, and clinical practice. Still, the report says about 1 in 5 programs continue using discredited practices even in states with “science of reading” mandates. Discredited approaches include “three cueing,” which emphasizes picture and context clues over phonics-based decoding. For the higher education sector—including education schools and accreditation stakeholders—the development is that program compliance is improving but not uniform, keeping pressure on preservice curriculum, supervision models, and evidence-based clinical placement standards.