READ Act
Bill: H.R.2023 | Sponsor: Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy (D-PA)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Reading Early and Addressing Dyslexia Act or the READ Act
This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish an early literacy and dyslexia intervention pilot program to award grants to five state educational agencies to address early reading deficiencies and dyslexia.
Under the program, ED must identify (1) evidence-based methods of screening students in grades K-3 for early reading deficiencies and dyslexia; (2) intensive interventions for these students, including phonological awareness and phonemic awareness, sound symbol recognition, and decoding skills; and (3) best practices to instruct educators on the science of reading and how to execute screenings and intensive interventions for these students.
Each participating state educational agency must select at least two local educational agencies (LEAs) to participate in the program.
Participating LEAs must
The bill also directs ED to establish an online platform to provide educational agencies with resources, such as methods of targeting instruction for early reading deficiencies and dyslexia.

To authorize a pilot program for dyslexia screening and early literacy 
 intervention using evidence-based services for students suspected of 
having an early reading deficiency or dyslexia, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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:
            (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 Educational Progress 
        4th Grade Reading Level Assessment showed the national average 
        reading score for 2019 was lower than 2017.
            (5) More than 70 percent of State prison inmates 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 Development at the National 
        Institutes of Health, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        Education, to convene a national panel, the National Reading 
        Panel, to assess the status of research-based knowledge, 
        including the effectiveness of various approaches to teaching 
        children to read. The report, released in 2000, documented 
        overwhelming evidence that instruction 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 Intervention 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, including dyslexia, using screening tests.
            (10) Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, 
        Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and 
        South Carolina have all commissioned task forces on early 
        literacy or dyslexia.
            (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 ability, 
        disability, or circumstance, be afforded a high-quality 
        education that includes the promotion of literacy 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 accurate or 
                fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and 
                decoding abilities that typically results from a 
                deficit in one or more processes related to the 
                phonological component of language;
                    (B) is often unrelated to other cognitive abilities 
                and the provision of effective classroom instruction; 
                and
                    (C) may result in problems in reading comprehension 
                and reduced reading experience that may impede the 
                growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
            (2) Comprehensive literacy instruction.--The term 
        ``comprehensive literacy instruction'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 2221(b) of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641(b)).
            (3) Intensive intervention.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``intensive 
                intervention'' means a structured literacy program 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 intensive 
                intervention--
                            (i) the term ``explicit'' means instruction 
                        in which a teacher clearly explains and models 
                        key skills, with well-chosen examples, and 
                        students are not expected to develop the skills 
                        based mainly on exposure and incidental 
                        learning opportunities;
                            (ii) the term ``multisensory'' means 
                        instruction that combines listening, speaking, 
                        reading, and a tactile or kinesthetic activity; 
                        and
                            (iii) the term ``systematic'' means 
                        instruction that is planned and provided in 
                        specific sequence, with important prerequisite 
                        skills taught before more advanced 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 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 establish 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 educational agencies to provide evidence-based early screening, 
multi-tier support systems, and comprehensive literacy education, using 
evidence-based methods of screening and intensive intervention 
identified in accordance with subsection (d), for students served by 
the participating local educational agencies in such States. The early 
screening and support systems identified in accordance with subsection 
(d) and carried out under the Pilot Program 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 Secretary shall ensure that the State 
        educational agencies awarded grants under this Act serve 
        geographically, racially, and economically diverse student 
        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 Agencies.--Each State 
educational agency awarded a grant under this Act shall select no fewer 
than 2 local educational 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 educational 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 educational agency 
        at such time and containing such information as may be required 
        by the Secretary and the State educational agency.
    (d) Identification of Evidence-Based Methods of Screening and 
Intensive Intervention.--Not 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, identify--
            (1) one or more intensive interventions for students 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 interventions 
                identified in accordance with paragraph (1);
                    (C) understanding and identifying early reading 
                deficiencies and dyslexia, including how to execute 
                methods of screening identified in accordance with 
                paragraph (3); and
                    (D) how to execute the intensive intervention 
                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 
        processing 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 dyslexia, or both; and
            (5) a methodology for evaluating the effects of the Pilot 
        Program on the students identified as having early reading 
        deficiencies or dyslexia, or both.
    (e) Activities.--Each State educational agency participating in the 
Pilot Program shall ensure that the following activities are carried 
out using the methods of screening and intensive intervention 
identified in accordance with subsection (d):
            (1) Provide intensive interventions identified in 
        accordance with subsection (d)(1) that develop basic reading 
        skills and incorporate systematic phonics instruction to every 
        student in kindergarten through grade 3 who is served by a 
        participating local educational 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 identified in accordance with subsection (d)(3) to 
        screen each student in kindergarten through grade 3 enrolled in 
        each participating local educational agency in the State for 
        low phonemic awareness and other evidence-based risk factors 
        for early reading deficiencies 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 accordance with paragraph (2)--
                    (A) notify the parent or guardian of such student 
                that the student was screened, the results of the 
                student's screening, and that the student is eligible 
                to receive reading intervention 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 resources available through the 
                local educational agency and State to parents and 
                students about early reading deficiencies and dyslexia, 
                and recommended evidence-based resources and 
                interventions; and
                    (C) in order to provide additional screening, 
                diagnostic assessments, or services to the student 
                under the Pilot Program, require consent from the 
                parent or guardian of such student indicating that the 
                parent or guardian voluntarily and knowingly consents 
                to the continued participation of the student in the 
                Pilot Program.
            (4) For each student suspected of having an early reading 
        deficiency or dyslexia based on the results of a screening 
        whose parent or guardian has consented to continued 
        participation in the Pilot Program--
                    (A) conduct diagnostic assessments that--
                            (i) are nationally standardized, norm-
                        referenced screening assessments of 
                        phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge, 
                        concept of word and grapheme phoneme 
                        correspondence; and
                            (ii) are proven to have predictive validity 
                        and classification accuracy; and
                    (B) provide intensive intervention identified in 
                accordance with subsection (d)(4) in areas identified 
                by the screening, diagnostic assessments, or progress 
                monitoring data collected by intervention teachers, 
                that includes timely targeted instruction and strategic 
                reteaching of specific unlearned material or concepts 
                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 
education 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 activities of the State educational agency, and 
each participating local educational agency in the State, carried out 
under the Pilot Program, including any data and information 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 organizations that 
        recognize, support, and advocate for science-based literacy 
        instruction, and specialize in, and have expertise with, the 
        scientific basis of dyslexia and intensive intervention; and
            (2) provide State educational agencies participating in the 
        Pilot Program with assistance related to implementation and 
        execution of the Pilot Program, including access to--
                    (A) technical support mechanisms (such as training 
                and printed reference materials); and
                    (B) the State educational agencies consulting with 
                the Secretary in accordance with subsection (b).
    (b) Consultation With State Educational Agencies.--
            (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 assistance to State 
        educational agencies participating in the Pilot Program. Such 
        assistance may include designated staff assistance, 
        conferences, shadowing, resource building and sharing, and any 
        other assistance 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--
                            (i) incorporated evidenced-based reading 
                        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 intensive 
                        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 institution 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 evaluation of the Pilot Program, which shall 
be completed not 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 Department 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 outcomes of 
        State and local educational agencies and students who 
        participated in the Program;
            (2) qualitative and quantitative data on the experience of 
        educators who participated in the Program;
            (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 participating 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 deficiencies 
                or dyslexia based on a diagnostic assessment; and
            (5) any regulatory, legal, or resource barriers to 
        continuing and expanding the Program.
    (b) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the completion of the 
evaluation required under section 6, the Secretary shall provide to 
Congress, based on the data collected as part of the Pilot Program and 
evaluation carried out under this Act and any other data available to 
the Secretary--
            (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 reading;
                    (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 reconvening the National 
        Reading Panel.
    (c) Resource Sharing.--Not later than January 1, 2025, the 
Secretary shall use the report required under subsection (a) and the 
results of the study under subsection (b) to create and make available 
an online platform to provide State and local educational agencies with 
resources 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 designed 
        specifically for students identified as being at 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 deficiencies or dyslexia;
            (4) developmentally appropriate curricula and engaging 
        instructional materials and practices for students identified 
        as having early reading deficiencies 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 dyslexia; 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.
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