South Australia has a strong structured literacy heritage, and was a trailblazing state in rolling out evidence-based practice. We’re calling out the recent move to roll out a Year 2 Phonics Screening Check for what it is: an ineffective, expensive, politically-motivated policy that represents a lost opportunity to do something genuinely game-changing in schools.

We put together a video for social media, and also applied pressure prior to the 2026 SA election by running an arresting advertisement in Adelaide’s The Advertiser, which referred to our long history advocating in this space: we were instrumental in having the Year 1 phonics screen introduced, but that doesn’t mean ‘more of the same’ is the most effective tool. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail… it’s time for some new tools.

Check out the video below for a full explanation of why we think this is far from a good idea.

So far, we’ve been ignored. But we’re in for the long game, and we outlast election cycles. DIBELS (or a suitable alternative) will happen. The question is simply which Minister will go down in history as the one who actually listened to the science and the experts.