Legislatures Lead the Way With ‘Science of Reading’ Approach

Legislatures Lead the Way With 'Science of Reading' Approach

More states now require evidence-based instruction, teacher training and interventions for struggling readers.

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Evidence-based reading instruction emphasizes phonics and phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency.

State legislatures have been driving the use of evidence-based reading instruction in schools for the past decade through state standards, curriculum and assessment requirements, teacher training and licensure, and interventions for struggling readers. The approach, also known as the science of reading, emphasizes phonics and phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency.

Forty literacy bills were enacted in 31 states in 2023 alone. The bills varied widely, with some addressing multiple topics and others related to the science of reading or evidence-based literacy instruction. The most common topics addressed were special education and dyslexia (seven states); interventions (six states); and staffing, teacher training and professional development (eight states). Some states established task forces or other groups to address statewide literacy instruction through research and collaboration.

In 2024, at least 35 literacy bills have been enacted in 25 states. The legislation spanned multiple topics and continued the trends seen in 2023: special education and dyslexia (six states); interventions (eight states); and staffing, teacher training and professional development (11 states). Evidence-based literacy assessments and dyslexia screeners, including identification, adoption and administration of these tools, drew increased legislative action in 2024.

Since 2013, 38 states and Washington, D.C., have passed legislation related to evidence-based reading instruction, according to Education Week. Most of the bills have addressed at least one of the following elements:

• Professional development/coaching (36 bills).
• Instruction and intervention (31 bills).
• Materials and curriculum (29 bills).
• Literacy assessments (28 bills).
• Teacher preparation (21 bills).
• Teacher certification or licensure (20 bills).

As knowledge about the science of reading approach has become more widespread, so have related bills. From 2012-18, only one or two states passed science of reading legislation each year; the number ticked up in 2019, with eight states passing bills. While only Washington, D.C., passed legislation in 2020, numbers grew in the following years, with 13 states passing legislation in 2021, eight in 2022 and 17 in 2023.

States have approached science of reading bills in different ways:

• Alabama (HB 388; 2019) required literacy instruction to be based on the science of reading; summer reading camps for students in kindergarten through third grade with difficulty reading; third grade students to have sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade; and the state board to develop a dyslexia therapist certification endorsement. The bill also allocated funding for literacy specialists and preservice and in-service professional development.
• Indiana (HB 1558; 2023) required schools to use curricula based on science of reading and banned the use of three-cueing; teacher preparation programs to teach the science of reading; educators who received a license after a certain date to earn an endorsement in the science of reading; and the state board of education to create standards aligned to science of reading.
• Ohio (HB 33, 2023) removed the mandatory retention requirement for third graders who do not reach a certain level of reading achievement; required the use of instructional materials based on the science of reading; required professional development for teachers related to science of reading; and required dyslexia screening for some kindergarten students and for students in grades one through six whose parents or teachers request it.
• Vermont (SB 204; 2024) created screening and intervention requirements; directed schools to provide systematic and explicit evidence-based reading instruction to students in kindergarten through third grade; required evidence-based professional learning activities; and created recommendations for teaching evidence-based literacy practices in educator preparation programs.

Emily Katz is a legislative specialist in NCSL's State-Federal Affairs Division in Washington, D.C.

Lauren Gendill is a policy analyst in NCSL's Education Program in Denver.