Can Congress Improve Reading Outcomes? Inside the READ Act
โก๏ธ Welcome back to the All4Ed Flash!
What would it take to help every child become a confident reader?
In this episode of All4Ed Flash, we break down the newly introduced READ Actโa bipartisan proposal that would strengthen and modernize the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program.
Learn how the legislation supports evidence-based literacy practices, including science of reading-aligned instructional materials, early literacy screenings, stronger teacher preparation, literacy coaching, tutoring, summer learning, and family engagement.
We also explore why literacy is about more than academic successโit’s essential for workforce readiness, economic opportunity, and ensuring every student has the support they need to succeed.
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Read This Week’s Update:
Earlier this month, Senator Bill Cassidy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Senator Maggie Hassan introduced the Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development Act, known as the READ Act.
The bill updates and strengthens the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program, which currently helps 23 states invest in literacy policies and programs.
The program has not been meaningfully revised since it was authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015.
Recently, states like Mississippi and Louisiana have significantly improved reading outcomes by adopting policies aligned with the science of reading.
The READ Act aims to scale these successes nationwide and encourage states to invest in:
- Highโquality instructional materials aligned to the science of reading
- Universal early literacy screenings to catch reading struggles early
- Parent notification and intervention plans so families know when a child is behind and what supports are coming
- Interventions like tutoring and summer learning programs
- Stronger teacher preparation aligned to the science of reading
- Literacy coaching networks and professional development
The need to improve literacy rates is urgent. Reading is more than an education issue โ itโs a workforce issue, a competitiveness issue, and ultimately a moral issue that Americans want policymakers to address now.
The billโs sponsor, Senator Bill Cassidy emphasized this point, saying:
โEducation is the one great thing in our society that can take somebody and transform their future. Reading is the
kernel within education that makes it work.โ
A Bipartisan Policy Center poll last December confirmed that Americans believe literacy is essential to opportunity โ and they want leaders to work together to ensure itโs available to all kids.
Senator Hassan โ the billโs co-sponsor added: โIn the greatest country in the world, we cannot resign ourselves to the fact that many children still struggle to read at grade level and that only one in three students leave high school as
proficient readers.โ
All4Ed applauds Senators Cassidy and Hassan for introducing this critical bill and for their bipartisan commitment to ensuring every child has access to strong, evidenceโbased literacy instruction.
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