House Appropriations Subcommittee Lifts Up Science of Reading

On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Services (Labor-H) held a bipartisan hearing on the science of reading. Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reached consensus on the topic, with Aderholt highlighting Mississippi’s intensive efforts and tremendous gains in literacy by grade four. Delauro highlighted federal investments within the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction that support literacy, including education research, programs that support educator preparation and professional development, and formula funding, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Title I. 

Dr. Holly Lane, Director of the University of Florida Literacy Institute, testified in support of the federal role in improving literacy rates nationwide. She stressed the rigorous process of awarding grants through the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the critical importance of those federal research dollars. “The investment in research is what brought us the science of reading,” she remarked. Lane also noted that educator preparation programs can vary widely in how they prepare teachers to teach reading and discussed the value of personnel preparation grants supported through the Office of Special Education Programs. 

Several Members discussed equity in literacy, including racial and disability disparities, as well as parents who struggle with their own literacy. There was a shared frustration that our nation has the tools but not the implementation to support literacy development for all children, and a shared hope that, with strong federal, state, and local investments, gains in literacy are within reach. 

To view the hearing, go here.