The House Education and Workforce Committee passed U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin’s (R-IN) Science of Reading Act on March 17, advancing bipartisan legislation that would require federal education funding to support evidence-based literacy instruction that is based on phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing.
The Science of Reading Act of 2026, H.R. 7890, amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to prioritize funding for literacy programs aligned with the science of reading and ensure state literacy plans reflect those evidence-based approaches. The bill also discourages ineffective instructional methods such as the three-cueing model.
Rep. Houchin introduced the bill with original cosponsors U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and U.S. Rep. John Mannion (D-NY). The legislation now heads to the full House for consideration.
“Reading is the foundation of every student’s success, and right now, too many children are left behind,” Rep. Houchin said. “The Science of Reading Act gets us back to the basics and ensures our classrooms are equipped with the proven, phonics-based methods to effectively teach all students to read.”
Rep. Kiley emphasized the importance of aligning federal support with proven instructional approaches. “This bill prioritizes evidence-based instruction grounded in phonics, comprehension, and the core building blocks of literacy,” he said. “By aligning federal support with proven methods, we can ensure every child has the opportunity to become a confident, capable reader.”