In 2024, the momentum for improving early literacy reached new heights as 15 states adopted policies rooted in the science of reading. These transformative measures are designed to ensure students receive evidence-based instruction and interventions that address reading difficulties before they fall too far behind.
With only one-third of fourth graders in the U.S. reading proficiently, the urgency for effective literacy policies has never been greater.
This blog highlights how states across the nation are prioritizing evidence-based solutions to improve educational outcomes and set students on a path toward lifelong success.
The Case for Early Literacy Policies that Align with the Science of Reading
According to the 2022 NAEP results, the majority of U.S. fourth graders are struggling readers at a time when reading to learn is crucial.
Research shows that students who can’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely not to graduate from high school. And, according to Duke University researchers, high school dropouts are up to four times more likely to experience individual negative outcomes, such as being arrested, needing government assistance, using illicit substances or having poor health by age 27. They were 24 times more likely than graduates to experience as many as four or more negative outcomes.
Solutions to the Nation’s Early Literacy Problem
The science of reading is a vast body of research on how children learn to read, emphasizing the systematic and explicit teaching of foundational reading skills including phonics, vocabulary and comprehension.
According to early literacy policy experts, a comprehensive early literacy policy should include evidence-based strategies in four key areas:
- Supports for educators – Educators should be trained in the science of reading, and educator preparation programs’ coursework should align to evidence-based literacy instruction. Literacy coaches should also provide on-the-job support for educators.
- Student assessment and parent notification – Schools should conduct universal screeners to identify struggling readers and inform parents of their children’s reading progress.
- Instruction and intervention – Instruction, early interventions and teaching materials should be high-quality and evidence-based.
- Retention and intensive intervention – Students who are not reading proficiently by third grade should receive intensive interventions, specialized support from highly effective teachers and an additional year of learning as an important last resort to ensure they are reading to learn by fourth grade.
2024 Actions State Policymakers Took to Improve Early Literacy
State legislatures and educational agencies reached across the aisle and embraced the science of reading in 2024 to help young readers in their states. Others defeated harmful legislation that would have rolled back effective protections already enacted.
- Arizona legislators introduced two bills that would have watered down proven policies that ensure children can read and hold schools and educators accountable for early literacy competency and compliance. Lawmakers successfully defeated both bills, guaranteeing teachers are trained in the science of reading and schools continue reporting their early literacy plans to the State Department of Education.
- Delaware Gov. John Carney signed a bill that requires an audit of educator preparation programs to ensure they comply with the science of reading legislation that passed during the 2021 legislative session.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation to expand student access to reading interventions in early grades. One measure that became law allows high schoolers to tutor young readers during the school day. Lawmakers also protected Florida’s long-standing third grade promotion gate.
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the state budget, which provides nearly $7.5 million for literacy screeners and targeted literacy coaches.
- Indiana leaders not only built upon the state’s existing commitment to early literacy, but also added support and interventions for struggling middle school readers. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed measures into law that provide summer school intervention and supports for young struggling readers; requires universal screening, parent notification, progress monitoring and reading instruction aligned to the science of reading for K-8 students; and strengthens the third-grade promotion gate. The state also banned from educator preparation programs the harmful three-cueing reading method that teaches kids to use context clues and pictures to guess words they don’t know.
- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law that prioritizes teacher education in the science of reading, provides personalized reading plans and parent notification and empowers parents to give their struggling readers an extra year of learning so they can catch up before moving to the next grade.
- Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly strengthened early literacy policies in educator preparation programs by banning three-cueing, aligning instruction to the science of reading and creating science of reading microcredentials and professional development for teachers.
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz improved early literacy by modifying The Read Act to include additional screening for students, an audit of teacher preparation programs and funding for teacher professional development.
- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed two bills establishing new initiatives to identify struggling readers and ensure young children have access to reading resources. New initiatives include establishing a working group on student literacy, mandating universal literacy screenings for K-3 students and requiring professional development at no cost to school districts for early education educators and others serving multilingual learners or students with disabilities.
- Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt established universal reading screeners and interventions for struggling readers; banned the harmful teaching practice of three-cueing in instructional materials; and required that aspiring early childhood, elementary education and special education teachers pass a reading instruction competency exam.
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed early literacy policy changes that support evidence-based literacy instruction, identification of high-quality instructional materials, teacher professional development grounded in the science of reading and aligned screeners to identify struggling readers.
- South Carolina lawmakers expanded the state’s Read to Succeed Act to ban the harmful three-cueing instructional method in reading curriculum and instruction, require reading screening three times per year, provide parental notification on student progress and expand summer reading camps to first- and second-grade students.
- Virginia Gov. Youngkin improved the Virginia Literacy Act, signing an explicit ban on three-cueing in literacy instruction and materials and building upon measures adopted in 2023 that expanded science of reading training for teachers and implemented screening and intervention strategies to support struggling readers in grades 4-8.
The adoption of science-based early literacy policies in 2024 underscores a growing commitment among states to prioritize the educational foundations of their youngest learners. From banning ineffective teaching methods to expanding access to screenings, interventions and teacher training—these reforms are making a significant impact.
Policymakers are responding to the call from parents, educators and community leaders to ensure every child has the opportunity to become a confident, capable reader. As the movement continues to gain momentum, we expect even more states to embrace these proven strategies in 2025.
Our sister organization ExcelinEd’s Science of Reading Professional Learning Rubric is designed to assist state educational agencies in their evaluation and selection of professional learning grounded in the science of reading. This rubric is intended for use by evaluators who have completed in-depth professional learning in the science of reading and have experience applying this knowledge in the classroom. As a result, state educational agencies can make an informed decision about the best professional learning provider for educators in their state.
Click here to read the rest of this blog series, where we summarize which states took action on key, trending 2024 education legislation.
