Elementary teachers’ perspectives on science of reading mandates: a Q methodology study of autonomy and cultural responsiveness

This study examines elementary teachers’ perspectives on Science of Reading (SoR) mandates, with particular attention to tensions between instructional autonomy and cultural responsiveness. Using Q methodology, 26 elementary literacy teachers sorted 48 statements reflecting beliefs about literacy instruction, assessment, and equity. Factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 distinct factors, with significant loading set at ± 0.37 (p < .01). The resulting factor structures reveal differentiated viewpoints regarding the perceived benefits and constraints of SoR-aligned policies. While some teachers emphasized the value of structured, skills-based instruction for supporting early reading development, others foregrounded concerns about reduced professional autonomy and the marginalization of culturally responsive and contextually grounded practices. Post-sort interviews were analyzed alongside factor arrays to support interpretation and to clarify how teachers articulated the reasoning underlying their rankings. The findings indicate that teachers’ responses to SoR mandates are not uniformly oppositional or compliant but reflect nuanced negotiations among policy expectations, professional judgment, and commitments to equity. By integrating quantitative patterning with qualitative interpretation, this study contributes methodologically to Q research in education and substantively to ongoing debates about prescriptive literacy reforms and culturally responsive teaching.