By Cameron Reichenbach / The Jambar
In November 2025, Youngstown State University received ‘In Alignment’ rating by the Ohio Department of Higher Education after a statewide Science of Reading audit. The distinction indicates YSU meets all state needs necessary for literacy programs, among a small group of other universities statewide that fully meet all required literacy instruction standards.
The audit examined teacher training programs at 48 Ohio colleges and checked that the universities courses, materials and student-teaching experiences matched up with science-based reading practices now required by state law. In the end, YSU was one of only fourteen schools to meet all 73 points on the audit.
Mandy Wallace, assistant professor in Teacher Education and Leadership Studies, who helped pilot the efforts, sees the recognition as proof of what YSU’s education faculty have done over the years.
“I think what it means is that we’re all doing the correct thing. We really are preparing our teacher candidates to go out and teach reading,” Wallace said.
YSU’s journey toward full alignment started even before Wallace began at YSU. Around 2019, the university received a grant from the PNC Foundation that helped revamp undergraduate courses to put the latest research in practice.
“When I got to YSU in 2021, we were fully implementing the Science of Reading in the undergraduate courses because of the grants,” Wallace said. “That was a plus.”
Updates continued when Ohio passed House Bill 33 that introduced a new set of literacy standards. Wallace was a part of a statewide team of faculty from several universities who worked together to revise those standards and ensure they aligned with the Science of Reading standards.
Before the audit started, YSU sent in syllabi for eleven different courses — both undergraduate and graduate — to the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. The university also provided sample assignments and assessments to show how students were learning about teaching reading.
“We had to prove what we were doing with the syllabus and any assessments we were using,” Wallace said.
The in-person audit happened in February 2025, with evaluators coming to YSU for two or three days to watch classes and see the student teaching in action. However, YSU still did not receive the audit until November 2025, almost a year after the process began.
“We met all 73 metrics, which was really exciting,” Wallace said.
Wallace believes the “In Alignment” rating is a win not only for YSU students, but for local schools ready to hire teachers prepared to help children read.
“For local districts, it means they can trust hiring YSU graduates. Our training is what they need to go into the classroom and start teaching reading at any level,” Wallace said.
Even though the course names and main topics in classes haven’t changed much, Wallace said the faculty always investigates the latest research to ensure they’re teaching the most effective and relevant methods.
“In the back of our minds, we’re thinking about what new research is out and how we can make sure everything is aligned. We want to make sure students are ready to go into classrooms and teach when they get a job,” Wallace said.