A bipartisan bill making the “science of reading” a priority in some federal literacy grants passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, signaling Congress’ growing interest in a movement to reform reading instruction that has so far been driven primarily by state legislation.
The bill would revise the $194 million Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant program, which 23 states currently receive.
It would require the U.S. Department of Education and state education agencies to prioritize grant and sub-grant applications for “evidence-based activities that are aligned to the science of reading.”
Additionally, the bill would ban the use of “three-cueing” in instruction supported by grant funding. The reading instruction approach prompts students to draw on pictures and context clues alongside letters when decoding words, a method that some reading researchers say can hinder kids’ ability to learn to read. At least 14 states have required schools to stop using materials that include three-cueing, according to a tracker maintained by the advocacy organization ExcelinEd.
“In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, we changed the way that we teach reading in America. The results have been disastrous,” said Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., the lead sponsor of the bill, on the House floor on Wednesday.
“We’ve moved away from phonics-based instruction to a method called three-cueing, relying on sight words, context clues, and memorization. But with the information that we know, we must do better.”
The bill now heads to the Senate, where similar proposed legislation (the READ Act) passed out of a Senate committee in July.
How federal intervention could shape reading instruction
The science of reading movement has swept through state legislatures over the past decade, with more than 40 states passing laws aimed at furthering evidence-based approaches to early literacy instruction.
The momentum has reshaped the curriculum marketplace and spurred a surge in teacher training in science-backed approaches.
Still, states’ approaches to the science of reading have varied. Some are prescriptive, requiring schools to adopt curricula from an approved list, mandating that all elementary teachers go through a specific training, or setting a timeline for yearly reading screenings. Others rely more on guidance, or ask schools to attest that the methods and materials they’re using align with state recommendations.
Unlike state reading laws, federal law can’t mandate that schools make specific instructional choices or use certain materials.
But this proposed legislation prioritizes grant proposals that are aligned with the science of reading, defined as: “an interdisciplinary body of evidence-based research” that identifies instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension as essential.
According to the bill’s definition, the science of reading also “demonstrates the importance of background knowledge, oral language, the connection between reading and writing, and strong writing instruction,” explains why some students have difficulty reading, and does not use three-cueing.
“We cannot rely on outdated teaching methods that have clearly fallen short,” said Rep. John Mannion, D-N.Y., who co-sponsored the House bill.
“I’m the first person to fight for teacher autonomy, but today we have the evidence, the science, that shows that research is going to drive reading instruction forward.”
Other legislators voiced support for the bill, but argued that some of the Education Department’s actions under President Donald Trump’s administration could hamper its ability to improve student outcomes.
The administration has identified evidence-based reading instruction as a priority.
But Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., said that efforts to “dismantle the Department of Education” could jeopardize sustained investments in literacy.
He cited the cancellation of contracts last year for the Regional Education Laboratories, technical assistance centers that have supported states in advancing evidence-based literacy practices, among other projects.
Mississippi, a leader in the science of reading movement, worked closely with REL Southeast to implement 2013 reading legislation that preceded the state’s jump in 4th grade reading scores.
“While they were eventually reinstated, many staff members did not return,” Scott said of the REL contracts on the House floor on Wednesday. “Progress made in assisting states was lost.”
