["The Reading Teacher, Volume 80, Issue 2, September/October 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nPhonics is widely acknowledged in the research literature as an essential element of learning to read, but the effectiveness of various commercial programs for improving reading outcomes remains a subject of ongoing debate in research and the media. This study explores the delicate balance between teacher autonomy and scripted reading programs by surveying Australian elementary teachers' reported practices and perspectives regarding their teaching autonomy amid the use of commercial reading programs in their classrooms. Consideration is given to how teachers can be supported in developing their professional knowledge, judgment, and autonomy alongside the use of evidence‐based practices for reading instruction in the early years of schooling.\n"]