Eastern Oregon University > Academics > Eastern Oregon University Teacher Preparation Programs Earn Top National Rating

Eastern Oregon University Teacher Preparation Programs Earn Top National Rating

Eastern Oregon University Teacher Preparation Programs Earn Top National Rating

LA GRANDE, Ore. — Eastern Oregon University’s (EOU) elementary teacher preparation programs have earned A+ ratings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), placing them among the nation’s highest-rated programs for preparing future teachers to teach reading.

The EOU College of Education’s full-time, intensive Master of Arts in Teaching program (MAT) blends full-time in-classroom professional experience with academic preparation. (Michael K. Dakota/ Eastern Oregon University)

In its 2026 Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, NCTQ awarded A+ grades to EOU’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Concentration and Multidisciplinary Studies Major and its Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary Education program.

The review examines how well programs equip future teachers with the five core components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

“Learning to read is one of the most important skills students develop in school, and teachers play a critical role in that process,” said Dean of the College of Education at Eastern Oregon University, Dr. Rae Ette Newman. “We’re proud that NCTQ recognized the work our faculty has done to ensure teacher candidates graduate prepared to provide effective reading instruction.”

The recognition reflects EOU’s ongoing commitment to preparing educators for classrooms across Oregon, particularly in rural communities where schools continue to face teacher shortages, and students benefit from strong literacy instruction early in their education.

EOU’s College of Education serves students throughout the state through both on-campus and online programs. Graduates go on to teach in communities large and small, helping meet the demand for qualified educators in Oregon schools.

According to NCTQ, exemplary teacher preparation programs provide aspiring educators with the knowledge and skills needed to teach reading using methods explicitly supported by decades of research.

“Strong reading instruction changes the trajectory of a student’s education,” said Newman. “This recognition affirms that EOU graduates enter the classroom with the tools they need to help students succeed.”