Teachers know quality matters, and now research shows quality teachers may matter more than previously thought in helping children reach their reading potential.

A new study by Florida State University researchers found that first grade and second grade students who received excellent instruction “tend to” reach their potential in reading, ScienceDaily reports.

Scholars know that genetics play the biggest role in a child's reading achievement, while the environment – including the classroom experience – plays a smaller role. This study is significant because it shows for the first time that teachers have a direct influence on the genetic variability among children. – ScienceDaily, 4/26/10. "When children receive more effective instruction, they will tend to develop at their optimal trajectory,"( the study’s lead author Jeanette) Taylor said. "When instruction is less effective, then children's learning potential is not optimized and genetic differences are left unrealized."

While the study focused on early elementary grades, it is not a huge jump to suggest a similar dynamic occurs in preschool and pre-kindergarten classrooms, where kids develop the foundations that will help or hinder their later reading. Yet, the quality of early learning teachers often is less consistent than among teachers in elementary schools, where credentials are more uniformly regulated.

What would happen if child care quality rating systems led to a more consistent level of quality among preschool and pre-kindergarten teachers? While higher quality teaching would not eliminate gaps in academic success, it should help in both early learning and elementary school classrooms.

"Putting high quality teachers in the classroom will not eliminate variability among students nor guarantee equally high achievement from all children, but ignoring teachers as a salient contributor to the classroom environment represents a missed opportunity to promote children's potential in school and their success in life," the researchers concluded.