I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6051 
To authorize a pilot program for dyslexia screening and early literacy inter-
vention using evidence-based services for students suspected of having 
an early reading deficiency or dyslexia, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 2, 2020 
Ms. HOULAHAN (for herself and Mr. WESTERMAN) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To authorize a pilot program for dyslexia screening and 
early literacy intervention using evidence-based services 
for students suspected of having an early reading defi-
ciency or dyslexia, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reading Early and 
Addressing Dyslexia Act’’ or the ‘‘READ Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(1) More than 30,000,000 adults in the United 
States are not able to read or write above a third- 
grade level. 
(2) Of adults in the United States who live in 
poverty, nearly half have low levels of literacy. 
(3) Children whose parents have low levels of 
literacy are more than 70 percent more likely to also 
have low levels of literacy and are more likely to get 
poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high 
absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out. 
(4) The 2019 National Assessment of Edu-
cational Progress 4th Grade Reading Level Assess-
ment showed the national average reading score for 
2019 was lower than 2017. 
(5) More than 70 percent of State prison in-
mates have low levels of literacy. 
(6) Low levels of literacy are connected to over 
$230,000,000,000 a year in health care costs in the 
United States. 
(7) Dyslexia is thought to be the most common 
neurocognitive disorder, affecting about 10 percent 
of children in school. 
(8) In 1997, Congress asked the Director of the 
National Institute of Child Health and Human De-
velopment at the National Institutes of Health, in 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
consultation with the Secretary of Education, to con-
vene a national panel, the National Reading Panel, 
to assess the status of research-based knowledge, in-
cluding the effectiveness of various approaches to 
teaching children to read. The report, released in 
2000, documented overwhelming evidence that in-
struction in phonics enhances all students’ success in 
learning to read. 
(9) In 2014, in response to the Pennsylvania 
General Assembly’s passage of Act 69 of 2014, the 
Pennsylvania Department of Education developed 
the Dyslexia Screening and Early Literacy Interven-
tion Pilot Program, which established a three-year 
early literacy intervention and dyslexia pilot program 
using evidence-based screening and then evidence- 
based instruction and intervention for students 
found to be at risk for future reading difficulties. 
Such Program identified students in kindergarten 
who were deemed at risk for reading difficulties, in-
cluding dyslexia, using screening tests. 
(10) 
Alabama, 
Arkansas, 
Colorado, 
Con-
necticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, 
Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina have 
all commissioned task forces on early literacy or dys-
lexia. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(11) Arkansas, Arizona, Oregon, Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, North 
Dakota, South Carolina, and Wyoming have put into 
place protocols and procedures to screen for early 
reading deficiencies and dyslexia. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that— 
(1) it is in the interest of the Nation to ensure 
all children in the United States, regardless of abil-
ity, disability, or circumstance, be afforded a high- 
quality education that includes the promotion of lit-
eracy skills; and 
(2) the Individual with Disabilities Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) should be robustly 
funded. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of the pilot program authorized by 
this Act: 
(1) DYSLEXIA.—The term ‘‘dyslexia’’ means a 
condition that— 
(A) is characterized by difficulty with accu-
rate or fluent word recognition and by poor 
spelling and decoding abilities that typically re-
sults from a deficit in one or more processes re-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
lated to the phonological component of lan-
guage; 
(B) is often unrelated to other cognitive 
abilities and the provision of effective classroom 
instruction; and 
(C) may result in problems in reading com-
prehension and reduced reading experience that 
may impede the growth of vocabulary and back-
ground knowledge. 
(2) 
COMPREHENSIVE
LITERACY
INSTRUC-
TION.—The term ‘‘comprehensive literacy instruc-
tion’’ has the meaning given such term in section 
2221(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641(b)). 
(3) INTENSIVE INTERVENTION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘intensive 
intervention’’ means a structured literacy pro-
gram that includes explicit, multisensory, and 
systematic phonics instruction and is delivered 
in the manner proscribed by the developer of 
the structured literacy program by a teacher 
trained in such program. 
(B) PHONICS INSTRUCTION TERMS.—With 
respect to phonics instruction that is part of in-
tensive intervention— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(i) the term ‘‘explicit’’ means instruc-
tion in which a teacher clearly explains and 
models key skills, with well-chosen exam-
ples, and students are not expected to de-
velop the skills based mainly on exposure 
and incidental learning opportunities; 
(ii) the term ‘‘multisensory’’ means 
instruction that combines listening, speak-
ing, reading, and a tactile or kinesthetic 
activity; and 
(iii) the term ‘‘systematic’’ means in-
struction that is planned and provided in 
specific sequence, with important pre-
requisite skills taught before more ad-
vanced skills, and with care taken not to 
introduce skills in a way that is confusing 
to students. 
(4) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
(6) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘State educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
such term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
SEC. 4. EARLY LITERACY AND DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION 
PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish an Early Literacy and Dyslexia Intervention Pilot 
Program (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Pilot Program’’), 
in accordance with this Act, to award grants to State edu-
cational agencies to provide evidence-based early screen-
ing, multi-tier support systems, and comprehensive lit-
eracy education, using evidence-based methods of screen-
ing and intensive intervention identified in accordance 
with subsection (d), for students served by the partici-
pating local educational agencies in such States. The early 
screening and support systems identified in accordance 
with subsection (d) and carried out under the Pilot Pro-
gram shall screen and support students for potential risk 
factors for early reading deficiencies and dyslexia, such as 
low phonemic awareness, low letter and symbol naming, 
and inability to remember sequences. 
(b) GRANT SELECTION AND DISTRIBUTION.— 
(1) GRANT
SELECTION.—The Secretary shall 
award grants under this Act to 5 State educational 
agencies to participate in the Pilot Program. The 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Secretary shall ensure that the State educational 
agencies awarded grants under this Act serve geo-
graphically, racially, and economically diverse stu-
dent populations. 
(2) GRANT
PERIOD.—A grant awarded to a 
State educational agency under this Act shall be for 
a period of 3 consecutive school years, and shall be 
for not more than $500,000 for each school year of 
the grant period. 
(c) PARTICIPATING LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGEN-
CIES.—Each State educational agency awarded a grant 
under this Act shall select no fewer than 2 local edu-
cational agencies in the State to participate in the Pilot 
Program under this Act. To be eligible to be selected as 
a participating local educational agency, a local edu-
cational agency shall— 
(1) have a total enrollment of at least 3,000 
students; 
(2) provide full-day kindergarten; and 
(3) submit an application to the State edu-
cational agency at such time and containing such in-
formation as may be required by the Secretary and 
the State educational agency. 
(d) IDENTIFICATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED METHODS 
OF SCREENING
AND INTENSIVE INTERVENTION.—Not 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall, in consultation with recognized, 
expert organizations described in section 5(a)(1), State 
educational agencies the Secretary is consulting with in 
accordance with section 5(b), and the State educational 
agencies selected to participate in the Pilot Program, iden-
tify— 
(1) one or more intensive interventions for stu-
dents in kindergarten through grade 3, which shall 
include— 
(A) phonological awareness and phonemic 
awareness; 
(B) sound symbol recognition; 
(C) alphabet knowledge; 
(D) decoding skills; 
(E) encoding skills; and 
(F) rapid naming; and 
(2) best practices to instruct educators on— 
(A) the science of reading; 
(B) how to execute the intensive interven-
tions identified in accordance with paragraph 
(1); 
(C) understanding and identifying early 
reading deficiencies and dyslexia, including how 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
to execute methods of screening identified in ac-
cordance with paragraph (3); and 
(D) how to execute the intensive interven-
tion identified in accordance with paragraph 
(4); 
(3) one or more evidence-based methods of 
screening appropriate for students in kindergarten 
through grade 3 for potential risk factors for early 
reading deficiencies and dyslexia, which may include 
the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy 
Skills tests and phonological and phonemic proc-
essing and rapid automatized naming tests; 
(4) evidence-based intensive intervention for 
students identified as being at risk for, suspected of 
having, or having early reading deficiencies or dys-
lexia, or both; and 
(5) a methodology for evaluating the effects of 
the Pilot Program on the students identified as hav-
ing early reading deficiencies or dyslexia, or both. 
(e) ACTIVITIES.—Each State educational agency par-
ticipating in the Pilot Program shall ensure that the fol-
lowing activities are carried out using the methods of 
screening and intensive intervention identified in accord-
ance with subsection (d): 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(1) Provide intensive interventions identified in 
accordance with subsection (d)(1) that develop basic 
reading skills and incorporate systematic phonics in-
struction to every student in kindergarten through 
grade 3 who is served by a participating local edu-
cational agency in the State. 
(2) Three times during each school year during 
the grant period, including at the beginning of the 
school year, during the middle of the school year, 
and during the final academic period of the school 
year, use evidence-based methods of screening identi-
fied in accordance with subsection (d)(3) to screen 
each student in kindergarten through grade 3 en-
rolled in each participating local educational agency 
in the State for low phonemic awareness and other 
evidence-based risk factors for early reading defi-
ciencies and dyslexia. 
(3) For each student who is suspected of having 
an early reading deficiency or dyslexia, or both, 
based on the results of a screening conducted in ac-
cordance with paragraph (2)— 
(A) notify the parent or guardian of such 
student that the student was screened, the re-
sults of the student’s screening, and that the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
student is eligible to receive reading interven-
tion services as part of the Pilot Program; 
(B) provide to the parent or guardian of 
such student information about additional 
screening and services available through the 
Pilot Program, and information on other re-
sources available through the local educational 
agency and State to parents and students about 
early reading deficiencies and dyslexia, and rec-
ommended evidence-based resources and inter-
ventions; and 
(C) in order to provide additional screen-
ing, diagnostic assessments, or services to the 
student under the Pilot Program, require con-
sent from the parent or guardian of such stu-
dent indicating that the parent or guardian vol-
untarily and knowingly consents to the contin-
ued participation of the student in the Pilot 
Program. 
(4) For each student suspected of having an 
early reading deficiency or dyslexia based on the re-
sults of a screening whose parent or guardian has 
consented to continued participation in the Pilot 
Program— 
(A) conduct diagnostic assessments that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(i) are nationally standardized, norm- 
referenced screening assessments of phono-
logical awareness, alphabetic knowledge, 
concept of word and grapheme phoneme 
correspondence; and 
(ii) are proven to have predictive va-
lidity and classification accuracy; and 
(B) provide intensive intervention identi-
fied in accordance with subsection (d)(4) in 
areas identified by the screening, diagnostic as-
sessments, or progress monitoring data col-
lected by intervention teachers, that includes 
timely targeted instruction and strategic re-
teaching of specific unlearned material or con-
cepts until mastery is achieved. 
(f) STUDENT PARTICIPATION.—Participation of a 
student in the Pilot Program, including participation in 
screening and receipt of intensive intervention, shall not 
at any time preclude a parent or guardian from requesting 
or receiving an evaluation of such student for special edu-
cation services, including during the course of intensive 
intervention carried out under the Pilot Program. 
(g) REPORTS TO SECRETARY.—At the end of each 
school year of the Pilot Program, each participating State 
educational agency shall report to the Secretary on the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
activities of the State educational agency, and each par-
ticipating local educational agency in the State, carried 
out under the Pilot Program, including any data and in-
formation the Secretary may require. 
SEC. 5. CONSULTATION. 
(a) CONSULTATION AND GRANTEE ASSISTANCE.—In 
establishing, operating, and evaluating the Pilot Program, 
the Secretary shall— 
(1) consult with nationally recognized organiza-
tions that recognize, support, and advocate for 
science-based literacy instruction, and specialize in, 
and have expertise with, the scientific basis of dys-
lexia and intensive intervention; and 
(2) provide State educational agencies partici-
pating in the Pilot Program with assistance related 
to implementation and execution of the Pilot Pro-
gram, including access to— 
(A) technical support mechanisms (such as 
training and printed reference materials); and 
(B) the State educational agencies con-
sulting with the Secretary in accordance with 
subsection (b). 
(b) CONSULTATION
WITH
STATE
EDUCATIONAL 
AGENCIES.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall select at least one State educational agency 
with experience implementing and carrying out a 
program similar to the Pilot Program to be carried 
out by State educational agencies under this Act. 
The Secretary shall consult with the selected State 
educational agencies with respect to providing assist-
ance to State educational agencies participating in 
the Pilot Program. Such assistance may include des-
ignated staff assistance, conferences, shadowing, re-
source building and sharing, and any other assist-
ance the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
(2) SELECTION.—To be qualified to be selected 
as a State educational agency to consult with the 
Secretary in accordance with paragraph (1), a State 
educational agency shall— 
(A) submit to the Secretary an application, 
at such time and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require; and 
(B) have implemented, before the date of 
enactment of this Act, and carried out for not 
less than one calendar year before such date, a 
statewide program that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(i) incorporated evidenced-based read-
ing instruction for all students served by 
the State; 
(ii) identified students at-risk for 
early reading deficiencies or dyslexia in 
kindergarten; 
(iii) provided evidenced-based inten-
sive intervention beginning in kindergarten 
for students identified as at-risk; 
(iv) collected data to study the impact 
of such program; and 
(v) used an outside research institu-
tion to analyze the data and determine the 
impact on student outcomes. 
(3) INELIGIBILITY FOR PILOT PROGRAM.—Any 
State educational agency selected to consult with the 
Secretary for the purposes of this subsection shall 
not be eligible for a grant to participate in the Pilot 
Program. 
SEC. 6. EVALUATION. 
(a) EVALUATION.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter 
into a contract with a nationally recognized educational 
evaluation institution or organization to provide an evalua-
tion of the Pilot Program, which shall be completed not 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
later than one year after the completion of the third school 
year of the Pilot Program. Such evaluation shall review 
the effectiveness of evidence-based early reading assistance 
programs for students with risk factors for early reading 
deficiencies and dyslexia. 
(b) PUBLICATION OF RESULTS.—The Secretary shall 
make available to the public on the website of the Depart-
ment of Education the results of the evaluation carried 
out under subsection (a). 
SEC. 7. REPORT; STUDY; RESOURCE SHARING. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REPORT.—Not later than the 
30 days after the completion of the evaluation required 
under section 6, the Secretary shall submit a report to 
Congress on the outcome of the Pilot Program and other 
related matters. Such report shall include— 
(1) qualitative and quantitative data on the out-
comes of State and local educational agencies and 
students who participated in the Program; 
(2) qualitative and quantitative data on the ex-
perience of educators who participated in the Pro-
gram; 
(3) a list of the methods of screening used to 
evaluate students for low phonemic awareness and 
other evidence-based risk factors for early reading 
deficiencies and dyslexia, and how many partici-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
pating State educational agencies, participating local 
educational agencies, and participating schools used 
each such method; 
(4) for each school year of the Pilot Program, 
the number of students in kindergarten through 
grade 3 in each participating State educational 
agency, participating local educational agency, and 
participating school who were— 
(A) screened for low phonemic awareness 
and other evidence-based risk factors for early 
reading deficiencies and dyslexia; 
(B) suspected of having an early reading 
deficiency or dyslexia based on the results of 
such screening; and 
(C) identified as having early reading defi-
ciencies or dyslexia based on a diagnostic as-
sessment; and 
(5) any regulatory, legal, or resource barriers to 
continuing and expanding the Program. 
(b) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the com-
pletion of the evaluation required under section 6, the Sec-
retary shall provide to Congress, based on the data col-
lected as part of the Pilot Program and evaluation carried 
out under this Act and any other data available to the 
Secretary— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(1) an assessment of— 
(A) the impact of practices put in place 
under the Pilot Program, including the practice 
of instructing teachers on the science of read-
ing; 
(B) the value of the inclusion of the 
science of reading courses for teacher licensing 
and certification; and 
(C) how students perform when taught by 
teachers who have received instruction on the 
science of reading; and 
(2) based on the data collected as part of the 
Program, whether the Secretary recommends recon-
vening the National Reading Panel. 
(c) RESOURCE SHARING.—Not later than January 1, 
2024, the Secretary shall use the report required under 
subsection (a) and the results of the study under sub-
section (b) to create and make available an online platform 
to provide State and local educational agencies with re-
sources to identify and best serve students in kindergarten 
through grade 3 who are identified as being at risk for, 
suspected of having, or having early reading deficiencies 
or dyslexia, which shall include— 
(1) evidence-based methods of screening de-
signed specifically for students identified as being at 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
risk for, suspected of having, or having early reading 
deficiencies or dyslexia; 
(2) methods of targeted instruction for early 
reading deficiencies and dyslexia; 
(3) guidance on developing instructional plans 
for students identified as having early reading defi-
ciencies or dyslexia; 
(4) developmentally appropriate curricula and 
engaging instructional materials and practices for 
students identified as having early reading defi-
ciencies or dyslexia; 
(5) structured multisensory approaches to teach 
language and reading skills to all students, including 
students identified as being at risk for, suspected of 
having, or having early reading deficiencies or dys-
lexia; and 
(6) a list of suggested training programs for 
teachers on effective reading instruction methods. 
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to award 
grants to State educational agencies in accordance with 
this Act, not more than $2,500,000 for each year of the 
Pilot Program. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:49 Mar 05, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6051.IH
H6051
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS