HELP Committee Introduces Bill to Strengthen Reading
A bipartisan group of senators led by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) has introduced the Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development (READ) Act, legislation aimed at improving reading proficiency and literacy outcomes for children nationwide. Co-sponsored by Senators Jim Banks (R-IN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), the bill aims to strengthen literacy instruction by promoting science-of-reading-aligned practices, improving educator preparation, and expanding access to high-quality instructional materials and interventions.
The legislation revises the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program by creating a dedicated funding set-aside for eligible low-performing states. It also requires states to administer at least one early literacy screening before third grade, including screening for indicators of dyslexia. It requires schools serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade to notify parents or guardians when a student is identified as at risk for reading difficulties or performing below grade level. Notifications would be provided both at the beginning of the school year and following literacy screenings conducted during the year.
In addition, the READ Act strengthens literacy research and evidence-based practice by supporting comprehensive centers and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).