Washington, D.C., June 8, 2026—Teach Plus issued the following statement on the introduction of the READ (Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development) Act in Congress. The bill would modernize federal literacy grants to ensure teacher preparation and instruction are rooted in the science of reading:
“Access to high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction is a matter of fundamental equity,” said Teach Plus CEO Kira Orange Jones. “With nearly two-thirds of our 8th graders currently reading below proficiency, we are facing an educational crisis that demands immediate, systemic change. This bill ensures that federal investments directly support our educators by aligning teacher preparation and classroom grants with the science of reading. I commend Senators Bill Cassidy and Maggie Hassan for their bipartisan leadership in introducing this crucial legislation.”
Low literacy rates carry devastating, lifelong consequences for both individual students and society. The crisis begins early: students who do not read proficiently by 4th grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school—a risk that spikes to six times for socio-economically disadvantaged students and eight times for Black students. Beyond academic failure, the human cost is severe; the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity warns that children with learning differences like dyslexia who go unsupported face heightened risks of depression, anxiety, school dropout, and chronic unemployment. Ultimately, this localized educational crisis compounds into a massive national issue, costing the U.S. economy $2.2 trillion annually.
The READ Act takes a decisive step toward strengthening student literacy by reforming the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant program. The bill requires state grantees to craft literacy instruction plans aligned with the science of reading. By enforcing federal accountability, expanding research, and upgrading teacher preparation, this legislation ensures every classroom is equipped with evidence-based instruction aligned with the proven science of reading.
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. In pursuing our mission, Teach Plus is guided by our Student Opportunity Mandate: to act boldly and create the conditions where every student can imagine their future—and experience an education that delivers the opportunity to realize it.Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. www.teachplus.org
