Which States Have Passed ‘Science of Reading’ Laws? What’s in Them?

In a science of reading framework, teachers start by teaching beginning readers the foundations of language in a structured progression—like how individual letters represent sounds, and how those sounds combine to make words. At the same time, teachers are helping students build their vocabulary and their knowledge about the world through read-alouds and conversations. Eventually, teachers help students weave these skills together like strands in a rope, allowing them to read more and more complex texts.

Most teachers in the United States weren’t trained in this framework. Instead, the majority say that they practice balanced literacy, a less structured approach that relies heavily on teacher choice and professional judgment. While the majority of students in balanced literacy classrooms receive some phonics instruction, it may not be taught in the explicit, systematic way that researchers have found to be most effective for developing foundational reading skills.

Students are generally “reading” short books of their choice very early on, even if they can’t sound out all the words. Teachers encourage kids to use multiple sources of information—including pictures and context clues—to guess at what the text might say.

We've compiled some quick definitions for each category.

Teacher preparation: Requires institutes of higher education and/or teacher preparation programs to review their course offerings or instructional approaches; requires changes that would bring instructional approaches in line with evidence-based practices; requires courses to cover certain topics related to early reading.

Teacher certification or license renewal: Requires preservice teachers to pass a test demonstrating their knowledge of how to teach reading in order to receive a teaching certificate or requires in-service teachers to earn a credential or pass a test to renew their teaching license.

Professional development or coaching: Requires teachers and/or other educators to undergo professional development in evidence-based reading instruction and/or institutes a program of instructional coaching.

Assessment: Puts forth requirements for the type of assessments that schools can use to identify reading difficulties or measure reading progress, or mandates that schools undergo a review process when selecting these assessments.

Materials: Puts forth requirements for the type of curricula and other materials that schools can use to identify reading difficulties or measure reading progress, or mandates that schools undergo a review process when selecting these materials.

Instruction and/or intervention: Requires teachers to use specific instructional methods or provide a specific type or frequency of intervention for struggling readers.