[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5110 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5110
To add requirements for certain literacy activities carried out under
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 23, 2026
Mr. Cruz (for himself and Mr. Schatz) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To add requirements for certain literacy activities carried out under
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving America's Literacy Act''.
SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY STATE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.
(a) Definitions.--Section 2221(b) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (L), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(M) does not include the use of a three-cueing
model.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Three-cueing model.--The term `three-cueing model'
means an instructional approach or model that--
``(A) uses meaning drawn from context, pictures, or
syntax as the primary basis for teaching word
recognition (commonly referred to as `meaning,
structure and syntax, and visual cues' or `MSV'); or
``(B) teaches visual memory as the primary basis
for word recognition.''.
(b) Grants.--Section 2222 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6642) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Duration; Annual Review; Renewal.--
``(1) Duration.--A grant awarded under this subpart shall
be for a period of not more than 5 years total.
``(2) Annual review.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an
annual review of each State educational agency
receiving a grant under this subpart, which shall
include--
``(i) a review of the impacts of funding
under this subpart on student literacy
outcomes;
``(ii) information about grant and subgrant
recipients by geographic location; and
``(iii) a review of specific activities and
strategies employed by such recipients to
improve literacy outcomes.
``(B) Public availability.--The Secretary, or the
Secretary's designee, shall issue an annual report
summarizing the annual review described in subparagraph
(A) that shall be made publicly available on the
website of the Department of Education.
``(3) Renewal.--Such grant may be renewed for an additional
2-year period upon the termination of the initial period of the
grant if the grant recipient demonstrates to the satisfaction
of the Secretary that--
``(A) the State has made adequate progress; and
``(B) renewing the grant for an additional 2-year
period is necessary to carry out the objectives of the
grant described in subsection (d).'';
(2) in subsection (d)(2)(E)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``or'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting a semicolon;
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) demonstrates significant
deficiencies in reading or language arts, such
as through the results of the statewide
academic assessments required under section
1111(b)(2); or''.
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) An assurance that the State educational
agency will use funds in accordance with the
limitations described in subsection (e).''; and
(3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
``(e) Award Criteria.--The Secretary shall award grants under this
section to State educational agencies that--
``(1) will use the grant funds to carry out evidence-based
activities, or support eligible entities that carry out
evidence-based activities, defined for the purpose of this
subsection as activities meeting the requirements of section
8101(21)(A)(i)(I);
``(2) will use the grant funds to implement, or support
eligible entities that implement, instructional strategies and
materials that focus on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension; and
``(3) do not use a three-cueing model.''.
SEC. 3. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.
Section 1003 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6303) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(F), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) an assurance that the local educational agency will
comply with the requirements regarding literacy under
subsection (j).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Additional Requirements Regarding Literacy.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
this section, a State educational agency, in allocating funds
to local educational agencies under this section, shall only
allocate funds to local educational agencies that will ensure
that literacy activities that are carried out using such funds
are--
``(A) evidence-based, defined for the purpose of
this subsection as activities meeting the requirements
of section 8101(21)(A)(i)(I); and
``(B) implemented using instructional strategies
and materials that focus on phonemic awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.''.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON LITERACY.
(a) Research on Broader Evidence Implementation.--The Director of
the Institute of Education Sciences (referred to in this section as the
``Director'') shall conduct research to identify and evaluate State and
local strategies associated with significant improvements in student
literacy outcomes. Such research shall--
(1) examine State educational agencies and local
educational agencies that have demonstrated sustained increases
in literacy achievement, including improvements on State
assessments and the National Assessment of Educational
Progress;
(2) identify the instructional practices, curricular
materials, professional development approaches, and policy
supports implemented by such agencies, such as family and
community engagement, student and teacher coaching,
individualized reading plans, teacher training, integration of
curriculum specialists, literacy instruction for English
learners, and early grade retention policies; and
(3) assess the extent to which such strategies meet the
definition of evidence-based under section 8101(21) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801(21)).
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall--
(1) submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and
Workforce of the House of Representatives a report containing
the findings of the evaluation carried out under this section;
(2) disseminate findings regarding practices associated
with improved literacy outcomes, including through regional
educational laboratories awarded contracts under section 174 of
the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9564); and
(3) make such report and findings publicly available on the
website of the Department of Education.
SEC. 5. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be
construed to--
(1) limit or alter the rights, protections, and
individualized instructional requirements under the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.),
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794),
or the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et
seq.); or
(2) authorize any officer or employee of the Federal
Government to mandate, direct, or control a State, local
educational agency, or school's specific instructional content,
academic standards and assessments, curricula, or program of
instruction.
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