The University of Notre Dame has received a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative Advancing Science of Reading in Indiana to support the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) in its teacher preparation program.

Lilly Endowment launched the Advancing Science of Reading in Indiana initiative in 2022. It complements a statewide effort undertaken that year by the Indiana Department of Education to improve reading achievement in K-12 schools by helping current teachers implement Science of Reading-aligned principles in their classrooms. Science of Reading is interdisciplinary research that informs how students become proficient in reading and writing, with a focus on phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Beyond Notre Dame students, Macaluso anticipates ACE’s faculty and the licensed teachers in Indiana Catholic schools who serve as clinical partners will increase their expertise and credentials in Science of Reading-aligned methods, ensuring that educators at all levels of the program are able to advocate for this approach.