Bipartisan READ Act Signals Mainstream Acceptance of Science-Based Reading Instruction

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) introduced the Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development (READ) Act, which aims to codify evidence-based reading instruction into federal policy. The bill defines science-of-reading instruction as explicitly teaching foundational skills including phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, while specifically rejecting the three-cueing method that encourages students to guess words using pictures and context clues. The legislation proposes strengthening reading instruction through teacher training, early screening for reading difficulties, improved classroom materials, and support for struggling students, though it includes prospects for future federal funding rather than immediate appropriations. According to Education Week, 42 states and the District of Columbia have already passed laws or implemented policies related to evidence-based reading instruction since 2013, with many revising teacher-training requirements and expanding literacy screening. The bipartisan nature of the READ Act reflects what education experts describe as a "tipping point" in the science of reading movement, moving the focus from whether schools should adopt these approaches to how they can implement them effectively.