"Ohio Lawsuit Challenges Reading Instruction Methods"

A lawsuit filed by the Reading Recovery Council of North America, a nonprofit supporting balanced literacy, challenges Ohio's new law mandating the "science of reading" approach, which emphasizes systematic phonics instruction. The lawsuit claims that the change in reading policy was pushed through in a budget bill, violating state law. The debate over how to teach reading has intensified as research supports the effectiveness of phonics instruction. The Reading Recovery program, which has faced scrutiny, has seen a decline in membership and revenue due to the shift towards the science of reading. Critics argue that balanced literacy provides flexibility and promotes a love of reading, while proponents of the science of reading believe it offers a more effective approach.