READ Act

Key Points

• The bill bans reading instruction methods that have students guess words from pictures or context clues, requiring schools receiving federal literacy grants to use phonics-based, evidence-backed teaching instead.
• States that rank in the bottom 20 percent nationally on 4th grade reading scores for two straight assessment cycles are guaranteed priority grant funding if they apply, targeting help to the lowest-performing states.
• Schools must notify parents when a child is identified as at risk of reading difficulties or below grade level, including test results and specific strategies families can use at home.
• States receiving grants must review all teacher preparation programs within 3 years to check whether college coursework for future teachers matches the science of reading, and recommend changes if it doesn't.
• The bill funds federal research into how screen time, social media, and addictive app features are affecting children's cognitive abilities and attention spans.
• The bill blocks the Secretary of Education from issuing regulations that define the science of reading or that dictate specific curriculum, standards, or instructional content to states and schools.