U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, attends a confirmation hearing for Casey Means, nominated to serve as the next U.S. Surgeon General, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 25, 2026. (Reuters File)
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Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Monday introduced the Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development, or READ, Act, a bipartisan proposal aimed at improving literacy outcomes nationwide through evidence-based reading instruction known as the “science of reading,” ABC News reported.
The legislation would require states receiving federal literacy grants to develop instruction plans aligned with science-of-reading principles, including phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, language structure and background knowledge. The bill also calls for early literacy screenings and reforms to the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant program.
Cassidy said education is “transformational” and described reading as fundamental to student success. The measure has Democratic co-sponsors, including Sens. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and John Hickenlooper of Colorado, and is expected to advance from committee.
Supporters say the proposal represents one of the most significant federal reading reform efforts in years. Critics caution that no single approach can solve the nation’s literacy challenges. National data show only 35% of eighth-grade students were proficient in reading in 2024.
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