Central College continues to demonstrate strong outcomes in literacy preparation, as reflected in results from the Iowa Foundations of Reading Test.
In Spring 2025, Central education majors achieved a 73% pass rate, significantly above the statewide average of 46%, according to the Iowa Department of Education. Central students showed further improvements in the second round of assessments in fall of 2025 with a 100% pass rate, yet to be officially published. This places Central among the top educator preparation programs in Iowa, reflecting a commitment to literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading.
“I am so proud of the work of our pre-service teachers,” says Papae Wymore, lecturer of education. “Our spring scores were fantastic and now we can say our students achieved a 100% pass rate on the Foundations of Reading Test. This confirms the effectiveness of our program in preparing candidates with strong content knowledge of reading and readiness for evidence-aligned literacy instruction in today’s classrooms.”
Central’s commitment to literacy extends beyond the classroom. Wymore serves as president and co-founder of The Reading League Iowa, an advocacy organization for literacy. Her model syllabi have also been featured on The Reading League’s national website, highlighting the program’s alignment with national efforts to advance reading instruction.
Spring 2026 students are currently completing targeted coursework to prepare for the test, with testing beginning in late April. Faculty regularly review and refine coursework to reflect current research from the science of reading.
These results underscore Central’s focus on preparing effective teachers — affirmed by a 97% employment rate among graduates from last spring.
The Foundations of Reading Test is part of a statewide shift following the passing of HF2618 in 2024. This mandate aims to improve student literacy rates, hold teacher prep programs accountable and equip educators with tools to teach reading skills effectively.
