Starting next September, public schools looking to buy or update early literacy, reading and writing curricula for students in kindergarten through fourth grade must ensure the materials are aligned with research on how to teach children to read.
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the bipartisan early literacy bill Tuesday. The legislation applies to district, charter and state-tribal education compact schools, and goes into effect 90 days after the session ends.
The law also calls for professional standards for teachers — which detail what they should know and be able to do — to be updated to reflect literacy research. The new standards will include areas such as language comprehension, fluency, vocabulary and oral language development and proficiency.
Teacher preparation programs will also change how they train teachers to teach reading within two academic years after the updated standards are adopted.
At Tuesday’s signing, Ferguson noted it was essential for students to know how to read by fourth grade and that too many were not reading at grade level.
The legislation comes amid a national spotlight on literacy as states look to boost lagging reading scores and replicate improvements in places like Mississippi and Louisiana. Less than half of Washington's third graders scored at levels 3 and 4 on the state’s English language arts assessments last school year, indicating they were on track for college level work without remediation, according to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Among fourth graders, 49% met that benchmark.
“It really is about whether or not we have a commitment to use and follow the best science,” said Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, the legislation’s prime sponsor, who attended the bill signing with students and families who supported the legislation. The law builds on earlier legislation that went into effect in the 2021-22 school year to screen students in grades K-2 who struggle with reading and may have dyslexia.
“We know scientifically how people learn to read, and we are not using it,” Pollet added. “It’s a huge step forward to say any new curriculum that you update or buy and any new program you invest in needs to align with the science of how children learn to read.”
The legislation does not mandate an immediate switch. Instead, starting in September 2027, when districts or schools next buy or upgrade early-literacy reading and writing curricula for K-4 students, they must adhere to structured literacy, a teaching approach rooted in research and science on how kids learn to read that has been effective in teaching students with dyslexia.
Without a mandate, it could be years before every district adopts the kind of early literacy curriculum the law envisions because school systems make such updates according to their own schedules.
The new curriculum, according to the law, must address language comprehension, reading and writing fluency, orthographic knowledge, which includes phonics and spelling, phonological awareness, vocabulary and oral language development and proficiency.
It also must be “multi-sensory,” “multi-modal” and culturally relevant to reach a wider swath of students. The curriculum must also include screenings, assessments and other methods to pinpoint students who are struggling. It must also include family engagement.
The curriculum must also align with the state’s English language arts learning standards and the Professional Educator Standards Board’s endorsements for those who teach the subject. The board oversees educator preparation programs and certifications.
The law also requires OSPI to develop and periodically update a handbook for teachers and parents whose children show signs of dyslexia. The handbook will include information on state and federal laws related to dyslexia, resources for parents, and guidelines for districts to meet those students' needs.
Under the new legislation, OSPI will also create an educator literacy training program geared toward improving spelling, reading and writing skills for K-4 students and those who may have dyslexia. The agency will report participation to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2030, and then every two years afterward.
Pollet said with classroom teachers trained in a comprehensive literacy program like structured literacy, school districts will be able to catch many more students who are struggling and offer proven interventions.
While the bill focuses on early literacy, it does not include some components that have helped boost reading scores in other states, such as reading coaches to work with students and teachers and professional development to help teachers learn strategies aligned with structured literacy.
Pollet said that state budget issues meant some things had to be cut.
“It is narrower than what we really need to do,” he said. “I think the biggest thing is that everyone recognizes that what makes strong reading programs work around Washington and around the nation is investment in professional development for your early elementary educators, and even through middle school and high school. That costs money.”
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