Lake Erie College Renames Acclaimed Literacy Program to Master of Reading Science

Lake Erie College has officially renamed its Mastery of Literacy program to the Master of Reading Science, reflecting the College’s full alignment with the Science of Reading and Ohio’s updated expectations for educator preparation programs.

The shift toward the Science of Reading follows years of national research and reporting that identified significant gaps in how teachers were historically prepared to teach reading. Public attention intensified through the work of journalist Emily Hanford and others, who highlighted the lack of research-aligned literacy instruction in teacher preparation programs across the United States. Ohio has been a key state in advancing this work, including efforts that began in Columbus to examine educator preparation programs and their alignment with evidence-based reading research.

The Science of Reading initiative draws from decades of interdisciplinary research across cognitive science, linguistics, neuroscience, and education. It provides a comprehensive understanding of how children learn to read and emphasizes explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This approach is particularly critical for supporting students with reading difficulties and dyslexia.

In response to both the research and Ohio’s updated requirements, Lake Erie College education professor Dr. Amy Markijohn undertook a comprehensive revision of the graduate and undergraduate literacy programs to ensure full alignment with evidence-based reading instruction. Dr. Markijohn brought extensive knowledge of the Science of Reading to the institution. Her leadership was instrumental in positioning the College for success, and as a result, Lake Erie College performed exceptionally well in the state audit process.

“As a country, we are currently in a reading crisis, and we need to prepare our future teachers to have the foundational reading skills to effectively prepare children to read,” said assistant professor of elementary education and literacy, Dr. Amy Markijohn “Lake Erie College is proud to be leading in this important work and to contribute meaningfully to improving literacy outcomes across Ohio.”

The renaming of the program to the Master of Reading Science signals more than a title change—it underscores Lake Erie College’s dedication to research-based practice, academic rigor, and the preparation of highly effective educators ready to meet the needs of today’s learners.