YourVoice.Now Summary
Transparency & AccountabilityFederal reading grants would favor sounding out words — not picture and context clues.
Transparency & Accountability
States asking for federal literacy grants would have to explain how their reading plan fits the science of reading. The grant form does not ask that today.
More about this bill
If your child is learning to read in a school that wins a federal literacy grant, the lessons could change. The money would favor what the bill calls the science of reading. That means phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension — including teaching kids the sounds letters make. One other method would no longer count. It is called three-cueing, where children work out an unfamiliar word from pictures, sentence structure, or context. The change works through grant rules, not a federal order. States asking for these grants would have to show their reading plan matches the science of reading. Grants to states and smaller awards to districts would favor plans that do. Nothing here lets federal officials pick a school's curriculum or lessons. Rights for students with disabilities under special education law stay the same. The rules would apply to money awarded on or after the day the bill becomes law.
Congressional Summary
Science of Reading Act of 2026This bill revises the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program to prioritize literacy instruction that is aligned to the science of reading.Under the bill, science of reading is defined as an interdisciplinary body of evidence-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing that (1) identifies instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing as essential components to skilled reading; (2) demonstrates the importance of background knowledge, oral language, the connection between reading and writing, and strong writing instruction; (3) explains why some students have difficulty with reading and writing; and (4) does not use a three-cueing model. Three-cueing model means an instructional approach or model that (1) uses meaning drawn from context, pictures, or syntax as the primary basis for teaching word recognition; or (2) teaches visual memory as the primary basis for word recognition.Current law authorizes competitive CLSD grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, competitive subgrants to local educational agencies for the development and implementation of a comprehensive literacy instruction plan, professional development, and other activities. Eligible early childhood education programs may also receive subgrants for early literacy services.The bill (1) specifies that comprehensive literacy instruction for CLSD grants does not include the use of a three-cueing model, and (2) requires the Department of Education and SEAs to prioritize awarding CLSD grants and subgrants for evidence-based activities that are aligned to the science of reading.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-06-29
- Date Added
- 2026-07-15
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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