NYC Schools Revamp Reading Curriculum with Phonics to Tackle National Crisis.

New York City's schools chancellor, David C. Banks, is introducing major changes to reading instruction in an effort to tackle the persistent problem of half of city children in grades three through eight not being proficient in reading. The new approach will use evidence-supported practices, including phonics, and avoid flawed strategies like teaching children to use picture clues to guess words. The move represents the most significant reading overhaul in New York City since the early 2000s and places the city at the forefront of a growing national movement to reform reading instruction.