S. 4689, the READ Act, advanced out of committee on July 30, 2026.
S. 4689 — READ Act
What it does
This bill reauthorizes and strengthens federal literacy grants to states, requiring them to adopt 'science of reading' instruction methods (phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) and to screen all students for reading difficulties by grade 3. States must allocate at least 75% of grant funds to local schools for tutoring, teacher training, and high-quality reading materials; the bill also mandates annual public reporting on literacy outcomes and requires the federal government to share NAEP reading data with states within 5 days of release.
Quorum's transparency scan gave READ Act a moderate transparency flag.
What happens next
S. 4689 advanced out of committee. Next stop: a floor vote.
Who is behind it
Filed by Bill Cassidy. Cosponsored by Jim Banks, John Hickenlooper, Maggie Hassan and Mark Kelly.
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