An independent review has found significant problems with one of the main services for schoolchildren who are struggling to read
The review of literacy resource teachers said there is not enough clarity about their work and nobody is even sure what impact the $9 million-a-year service is having.
It said schools are not using the teachers efficiently and children who need their help are missing out.
The report said the 109 teachers are in high demand, but the way they are managed and allocated by groups of schools is not effective.
Although the teachers are thought to be having a positive effect, the review found, there is no clear basis for measuring that.
The Ministry of Education, it said, needs to provide more leadership for the service.
The Education Ministry's deputy secretary for student achievement, Graham Stoop, said it will move to improve the service saying literacy teachers provide an important service.
"What we need to do is to get this better co-ordinated, and yes we will be speaking to them, in fact what we're going to be doing is pulling together a working group, we're doing that between now and the end of the year, so we're actively engaging with these teachers."
Mr Stoop said the ministry will also improve its oversight of the teachers.
