U.S. Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Brian Schatz of Hawaii introduced the Improving America’s Literacy Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at directing federal education funding toward evidence-based reading instruction, according to a July 24 announcement.
The legislation focuses on teaching five key pillars for literacy—phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension—based on the Science of Reading framework. Cruz said, “Decades of cognitive and educational research have established that instruction according to the Science of Reading is effective in teaching children literacy. However, federal dollars have continued to flow to schools and programs that use outdated pedagogical methods and fall short in teaching children to read, contributing to what has become a consistent and catastrophic decline in literacy levels across America. This bill will direct federal funding to evidence-based reading instruction. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Schatz, and I urge my colleagues to advance it.”
Schatz said, “In the midst of a national literacy crisis, states have shown that investing in phonics can help boost reading skills. Our bill will promote the use of phonics in schools across the country so kids can develop strong reading skills and be set up for future success.”
Recent data from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress show declining literacy rates among American students: 33 percent of eighth graders are reading at ‘below basic’ level—the highest since 1992—and 40 percent of fourth graders are below basic in reading achievement. The average twelfth-grade score was three points lower than in 2019 and ten points lower than when first assessed in 1992.
The proposed act ensures Comprehensive Literacy State Development grants cannot be used for instructional models such as three-cueing but must instead support methods grounded in the five pillars identified by Science of Reading research. The legislation also includes measures for increased accountability by requiring research into improvements at state and local levels.
Cruz serves as U.S. Senator representing Texas; he graduated cum laude from Princeton University and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; he previously served as solicitor general of Texas; clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court; champions constitutional liberties; supports American energy dominance; leads border security efforts; advocates job growth policies; is married with two daughters, Caroline and Catherine—all according to his official website.