This paper presents and discusses some existing problems in and proposed solutions for establishing a professional posture and developing a science of teaching reading. The problems discussed include: the immense size and complexity of the educational enterprise in physical plant, personnel, students, and curriculum; the size of the educational social unit and how individual teacher efforts to attain and maintain instructional excellence often go unrewarded and unrecognized; the priority favoring basic research in reading process generally conducted in colleges and universities and applied research conducted in the public schools; and the inordinate amounts of time-seeking methodologies that are different or innovative for reading instruction. (WR)