READ Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4689 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4689

    To strengthen literacy outcomes for all students, to amend the
 comprehensive literacy State development grant program, and to ensure
Federal accountability and investment in research, teacher preparation,
  and evidence-based instruction aligned with the science of reading.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 4, 2026

Mr. Cassidy (for himself, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Banks, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr.
Scott of South Carolina, and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill;
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To strengthen literacy outcomes for all students, to amend the
 comprehensive literacy State development grant program, and to ensure
Federal accountability and investment in research, teacher preparation,
  and evidence-based instruction aligned with the science of reading.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Reading Excellence and Achievement
for Development Act'' or the ``READ Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) increase literacy proficiency among students in
        elementary schools and secondary schools through the use of
        science of reading-aligned instruction so that students
        graduate from high school with the reading and writing skills
        needed to succeed in the workforce and in life;
            (2) support State educational agencies in implementing
        evidence-based policies aligned with the science of reading;
            (3) improve teacher preparation and professional
        development for school-based staff, including through coaching
        and deliberate, dedicated professional collaboration, to
        support evidence-based literacy instruction;
            (4) promote early identification and intervention for
        students at risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia;
            (5) support data-driven literacy strategies to support all
        students and to close opportunity gaps across student
        subgroups; and
            (6) protect and strengthen literacy research capacity
        through comprehensive centers and the Institute of Education
        Sciences.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Literacy is a cornerstone for personal growth, economic
        opportunity, and a strong society.
            (2) The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress
        reported that--
                    (A) only 35 percent of the 8th grade class of 2024
                were proficient in reading; and
                    (B) one-third of 8th graders performed below the
                National Assessment of Educational Progress basic
                level, the highest percentage ever recorded.
            (3) The National Assessment of Educational Progress
        provides the only nationally representative, independent
        measure of student achievement over time, offering critical
        data on the readiness of United States students to compete in
        the global economy.
            (4) The 2023 Program for the International Assessment of
        Adult Competencies estimates that 28 percent of adults in the
        United States perform at the lowest proficiency level of
        literacy, meaning they have substantial difficulty with
        everyday reading tasks.
            (5) Illiteracy costs taxpayers $224,000,000,000 annually
        and costs United States companies nearly $40,000,000,000
        annually.
            (6) The interdisciplinary body of research known as the
        ``science of reading'' demonstrates the effectiveness of
        structured, evidence-based literacy instruction.
            (7) Federal literacy programs under the Elementary and
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), the
        Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (29 U.S.C. 3271 et
        seq.), and the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9101
        et seq.) provide important foundations, but are insufficient to
        address the scale of the crisis.
            (8) The United States is in the midst of a national
        literacy crisis, requiring strong Federal leadership in
        partnership with State educational agencies and local
        educational agencies to ensure that all students have the
        foundational literacy skills to thrive.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Evidence-based.--The term ``evidence-based'' has the
        meaning given the term in section 8101(21) of the Elementary
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)),
        except that subclause (III) of subparagraph (A)(i) of such
        section shall not apply.
            (2) Science of reading.--The term ``science of reading''
        means an interdisciplinary body of research from cognitive
        science, neuroscience, and education that--
                    (A) demonstrates the explicit, systematic use of
                the essential components of phonemic awareness, phonic
                decoding, fluency, language structure, oral language,
                vocabulary, background knowledge, and literacy
                knowledge, which together lead to strong comprehension;
                    (B) recognizes the connection of reading and
                writing and the importance of strong writing
                instruction;
                    (C) does not use a three-cueing model; and
                    (D) is inclusive of comprehensive literacy
                instruction.
            (3) Three-cueing model.--The term ``three-cueing model''
        means an instructional approach that--
                    (A) uses meaning drawn from context, pictures, or
                syntax as the primary basis for teaching word
                recognition (commonly referred to as ``meaning,
                structure and syntax, and visual cues'' or ``MSV''); or
                    (B) teaches visual memory as the primary basis for
                word recognition.

SEC. 5. LITERACY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

    Section 2222 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6642) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the
                semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) implement statewide policies and systems of support
        to assist local educational agencies and educator preparation
        programs in improving literacy instruction and outcomes.'';
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Reservation.--
            ``(1) In general.--From the amounts reserved to carry out
        this subpart for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve--
                    ``(A) not more than a total of 5 percent for
                national activities, which--
                            ``(i) shall include funding for a national
                        independent evaluation--
                                    ``(I) that shall be conducted in
                                accordance with high-quality, rigorous
                                research standards; and
                                    ``(II) that may not be canceled or
                                deferred, unless the entity funded to
                                conduct the evaluation violates the
                                terms of the contract, has been given
                                written justification for the
                                contract's termination, and has been
                                provided an opportunity to appeal the
                                termination within 30 days of receiving
                                the notice of termination; and
                            ``(ii) may include support for the regional
                        educational laboratories (described in section
                        174 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of
                        2002 (20 U.S.C. 9564)) and comprehensive
                        centers (established pursuant to section 203 of
                        the Educational Technical Assistance Act of
                        2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602)) to support literacy
                        research and technical assistance;
                    ``(B) not more than 10 percent for grants to
                eligible States, as described in paragraph (2);
                    ``(C) one half of 1 percent for the Secretary of
                the Interior to carry out a program described in this
                subpart at schools operated or funded by the Bureau of
                Indian Education; and
                    ``(D) one half of 1 percent for the outlying areas
                to carry out a program under this subpart.
            ``(2) Grants to eligible low-performing states.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall allot funds
                reserved under paragraph (1)(B) among eligible States
                described in subparagraph (B) in proportion to the
                number of students enrolled in public elementary
                schools and secondary schools in each such eligible
                State, except that no eligible State shall receive less
                than 0.5 percent of the amount reserved under paragraph
                (1)(B).
                    ``(B) Eligible states.--A State is described in
                this subparagraph for a fiscal year if the State for
                the 2 most recent consecutive assessment cycles, ranks
                within the lowest quintile based on the percentage of
                students performing at or above the `basic' achievement
                level in 4th grade reading, as measured by the National
                Assessment of Educational Progress.
                    ``(C) Needs assessment.--A State receiving funds
                under this paragraph shall, not later than 1 year after
                receiving such funds, conduct a needs assessment that
                analyzes literacy needs across the State and complete a
                comprehensive literacy instruction plan based on the
                results of such assessment.
                    ``(D) Competitive grants to eligible states.--The
                Secretary may award grants, on a competitive basis, to
                eligible States under subsection (a) from amounts that
                are in addition to the amounts reserved under paragraph
                (1)(B).'';
            (3) in subsection (d)(2)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
                following:
                    ``(B) A description of how the State educational
                agency, in collaboration with the State literacy team,
                if applicable, will develop a State comprehensive
                literacy instruction plan or will revise and update an
                already existing State comprehensive literacy
                instruction plan, including how the State will--
                            ``(i) implement universal early literacy
                        screenings and intervention services for
                        students at-risk of falling behind in becoming
                        proficient in reading by third grade, which may
                        include high-impact tutoring and summer
                        learning programs;
                            ``(ii) increase access for educators to
                        high-quality instructional materials aligned
                        with the science of reading;
                            ``(iii) deliver professional development
                        and instructional coaching for educators, with
                        the input of educators, in high-needs schools
                        with the lowest literacy outcomes;
                            ``(iv) update State licensure or
                        certification standards for teachers and
                        evaluate teacher preparation programs to assess
                        alignment with the science of reading; and
                            ``(v) meaningfully engage educators from
                        across the State to provide early and ongoing
                        input on how to effectively support educators
                        in improving instructional practice and
                        educational outcomes.''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``subsection
                (f)(1)'' and inserting ``subsection (f)(2)'';
            (4) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
    ``(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority--
            ``(1) to State educational agencies that will use the grant
        funds for evidence-based activities, defined for the purpose of
        this subsection as activities meeting the requirements of
        section 8101(21), except that subclause (III) of subparagraph
        (A)(i) of such section shall not apply; and
            ``(2) to States that demonstrate, based on the needs
        assessment described in subsection (d)(2)(A), that the State
        has not yet implemented, on a statewide basis, a comprehensive
        approach to the required activities described in subsection
        (f)(1)(A).'';
            (5) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following:
    ``(f) State Activities.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Required uses.--Each State that receives a
                grant under this section shall use grant funds not
                allocated under paragraph (2) to carry out the
                following:
                            ``(i) Ensure pre-service training and in-
                        service training are aligned between them and
                        with the science of reading and designed, in
                        collaboration with teachers and institutions of
                        higher education, to support teachers in
                        understanding the evidence base on how students
                        learn to read and in using evidence-based
                        instructional materials and practices in their
                        classrooms, which may include--
                                    ``(I) creating statewide and
                                regional literacy coaching networks;
                                    ``(II) evaluating teacher
                                preparation programs to strengthen
                                coursework and training in the science
                                of reading;
                                    ``(III) updating State licensure or
                                certification standards to reflect the
                                science of reading; and
                                    ``(IV) providing pre-service and
                                in-service training for educators on
                                evidence-based screening, assessment,
                                and progress monitoring and instruction
                                for students with dyslexia.
                            ``(ii) Implement evidence-based
                        interventions aligned with the science of
                        reading and designed to prepare students for
                        success with grade-level work in their core
                        classes, which may include high-impact tutoring
                        and summer learning programs.
                            ``(iii) Provide universal early literacy
                        screening, including for dyslexia, at least
                        once before the third grade, with more regular
                        literacy screenings encouraged as a tool to
                        help identify reading difficulties early and
                        ensure support is provided to struggling
                        readers.
                            ``(iv) Develop, incentivize, and support
                        the adoption and implementation of a
                        recommended list of high-quality instructional
                        materials aligned with the science of reading.
                            ``(v) Convene and solicit input from
                        educators as collaborative, expert partners to
                        advise on improving pre-service training, in-
                        service training, and identify other supports
                        that they may need to successfully implement
                        the science of reading in classrooms.
                            ``(vi) On an annual basis, collect and
                        publicly report implementation data, which
                        shall include--
                                    ``(I) the number and percent of
                                students receiving screenings and
                                interventions for learning
                                difficulties, disaggregated by grade
                                level and disaggregated by each of the
                                subgroups of students, as defined in
                                section 1111(c)(2);
                                    ``(II) the number and percent of
                                pre-service and in-service teachers
                                receiving professional development and
                                coaching grounded in the science of
                                reading; and
                                    ``(III) the number of local
                                educational agencies using high-quality
                                instructional materials aligned with
                                the science of reading as recommended
                                by the State.
                    ``(B) Prohibition of inclusion of personally
                identifiable information.--A State shall not include
                any personally identifiable information in data
                reported under subparagraph (A)(vi).
            ``(2) Subgrants.--Each State that receives a grant under
        this section shall allocate not less than 75 percent of the
        grant funds to award subgrants to local educational agencies to
        enable the local educational agencies to carry out activities
        to improve literacy, such as--
                    ``(A) strengthening literacy instruction aligned to
                the science of reading in elementary schools and
                secondary schools, including through in-service
                training for educators;
                    ``(B) employing and training literacy instructional
                coaches and interventionists;
                    ``(C) purchasing and adopting high-quality
                instructional materials aligned with the science of
                reading;
                    ``(D) conducting universal early literacy
                screenings, including for dyslexia;
                    ``(E) providing direct services to students, which
                may include high-impact tutoring and summer learning
                programs, designed to help students reach proficiency
                in grade-level literacy standards;
                    ``(F) conducting outreach to parents and families
                to help them support their child's learning at home
                with strategies grounded in the science of reading;
                    ``(G) supporting evidence-based bilingual literacy
                instruction, including biliteracy development aligned
                with the science of reading; and
                    ``(H) convening and soliciting early and ongoing
                input from educators as collaborative, expert partners
                to advise on improving in-service training and identify
                other supports that they may need to successfully
                implement the science of reading in classrooms.
            ``(3) Grantee requirements.--Each State that receives a
        grant under this section shall--
                    ``(A) comply with a biennial evaluation by the
                Secretary assessing the impact of the activities funded
                under this grant program; and
                    ``(B) ensure that funds provided under this section
                are used to supplement, and not supplant, any State or
                local funds that would otherwise be used for literacy
                instruction, teacher preparation, or interventions.
            ``(4) Teacher preparation requirements.--
                    ``(A) Alignment with the science of reading.--Each
                State that receives a grant under this section shall
                complete and publish, not later than 2 years after
                receiving the grant funds, a review of all teacher
                preparation programs in the State to assess alignment
                with the science of reading and make recommendations to
                programs, as appropriate, for better aligning course
                offerings to the science of reading.
                    ``(B) Licensure or certification requirements.--
                Each State that receives a grant under this section
                shall update or establish licensure or certification
                standards for public school teachers in grades
                kindergarten through 8, which reflect competency in
                instructional practices aligned with the science of
                reading.''; and
            (6) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the terms `evidence-based' and `science of reading'
        have the meanings given the terms in section 4 of the Reading
        Excellence and Achievement for Development Act;
            ``(2) the term `high-impact tutoring' means a form of
        teaching that--
                    ``(A) is conducted 1-on-1 or in small groups;
                    ``(B) is intended to complement core classroom
                instruction; and
                    ``(C) includes--
                            ``(i) substantial time each week engaged in
                        tutoring with trained personnel;
                            ``(ii) a sustained and strong relationship
                        between the student and tutor;
                            ``(iii) progress monitoring of student
                        knowledge and skills attainment;
                            ``(iv) an alignment with core classroom
                        instruction; and
                            ``(v) supportive coaching for the tutor to
                        ensure quality interactions; and
            ``(3) the term `universal early literacy screening' means
        the systematic and periodic assessment of all students'
        foundational reading skills, including phonological and
        phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and
        comprehension, as developmentally appropriate, to identify
        those at risk for reading difficulties and to provide timely,
        evidence-based interventions.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary
for fiscal years 2026 through 2035.''.

SEC. 6. PARENT REPORTING.

    (a) In General.--Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 8549D. PARENT REPORTING.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each school receiving assistance under
        this Act that includes any of kindergarten through grade 8
        shall provide notification to the parent of any student who is
        identified as at risk of reading difficulties or performing
        below grade level in reading.
            ``(2) Notification.--The notification described in
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) be provided not later than 30 days after the
                beginning of the school year, for students in any of
                grades 4 through 8 who were identified as below grade
                level in reading on the previous year's summative
                assessment required under section 1111(b)(2)(B);
                    ``(B) be provided not later than 30 days after a
                student is identified as at risk for reading
                difficulties on any universal early literacy screening
                (as defined in section 2222(g)(1)(C)) administered at
                any point during the school year; and
                    ``(C) include--
                            ``(i) the results of the assessment or
                        screening;
                            ``(ii) the supports that will be provided
                        to the student to reach proficiency; and
                            ``(iii) ways that the parent can support
                        learning at home.
            ``(3) More regular notifications.--A school may provide
        more regular notification to a parent than that required under
        paragraph (2) and contain additional information in the
        notification to assist the parent in understanding and
        supporting the educational needs of their child.
    ``(b) Reports and Notices in Primary Languages.--A school shall
provide each report and notification described in subsection (a) in the
primary language of the parent, to the extent practicable.
    ``(c) Model Notification Templates.--The Secretary shall develop
user-tested parental notification templates and other materials, as
determined appropriate by the Secretary, for optional use by schools to
help them fulfill the requirements under this section. These templates
and materials must be made publicly available on the Department's
website.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 8549C the following new item:

``Sec. 8549D. Parent reporting.''.

SEC. 7. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    (a) Applicability.--This Act and the amendments made by this Act
shall apply with respect to funds awarded under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 note et seq.) on or
after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act or the amendments
made by this Act shall be construed to--
            (1) limit or alter the rights, protections, and
        individualized instructional requirements under the Individuals
        with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.),
        section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794),
        or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101
        et seq.); or
            (2) authorize any officer or employee of the Federal
        Government to mandate, direct, or control a State, local
        educational agency, or school's specific instructional content,
        academic standards and assessments, curricula, or program of
        instruction.
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