Patricia Levesque Applauds Indiana for Passing Critical Early Literacy Reforms 

“We congratulate the Indiana legislature for moving swiftly to address learning loss and making early literacy a priority in the Hoosier state. These much-needed reforms will have a profound impact on the lives of many of the state’s youngest readers. HB 1558 offers sound solutions and will guarantee that every child gets the evidence-based instruction, intervention and support they need to learn to read, read to learn and achieve their full potential.  

“We are grateful to Reps. Bob Behning and Jake Teshka and to Sens. Linda Rogers, Aaron Freeman and Jeff Raatz for prioritizing reading as a top concern among state lawmakers and for putting forward strong solutions. We appreciate the support and guidance of Education Secretary Katie Jenner and the entire legislature for their engagement in addressing this urgent issue.” 

HB 1558:  

• Requires teachers seeking elementary education degrees and special education teachers to earn a literacy endorsement. 

• Bans three-cueing from being used in curriculum and requires schools to adopt curriculum and supplemental materials that are aligned to the science of reading. 
• Requires the State Board of Education and Department of Education to prepare a report regarding the alignment of the IREAD-3 exam to the science of reading. 

• Requires traditional public schools and charter schools to report on their website the publisher’s name of the school’s adopted curricula for reading and writing, listed by grade level. 
• Requires schools to report information regarding remedial programs in literacy. 
• Requires schools to differentiate pay for teachers who have earned a literacy endorsement. 

• Tasks the State Board of Education with developing academic standards for reading instruction aligned with the science of reading; these standards cannot be based on the three-cueing model.