[House Hearing, 119 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
FOUNDATIONS FIRST: RECLAIMING READING
AND MATH THROUGH PROVEN INSTRUCTION
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD,
ELEMENTARY, AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER 3, 2025
__________
Serial No. 119-25
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and Workforce
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via: edworkforce.house.gov or www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
63-569 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
=======================================================================
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
TIM WALBERG, Michigan, Chairman
JOE WILSON, South Carolina ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT,
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina Virginia,
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania Ranking Member
GLENN GROTHMAN, Wisconsin JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut
ELISE M. STEFANIK, New York FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida
RICK W. ALLEN, Georgia SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon
JAMES COMER, Kentucky MARK TAKANO, California
BURGESS OWENS, Utah ALMA S. ADAMS, North Carolina
LISA C. McCLAIN, Michigan MARK DeSAULNIER, California
MARY E. MILLER, Illinois DONALD NORCROSS, New Jersey
JULIA LETLOW, Louisiana LUCY McBATH, Georgia
KEVIN KILEY, California JAHANA HAYES, Connecticut
MICHAEL A. RULLI, Ohio ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota
JAMES C. MOYLAN, Guam HALEY M. STEVENS, Michigan
ROBERT F. ONDER, Jr., Missouri GREG CASAR, Texas
RYAN MACKENZIE, Pennsylvania SUMMER L. LEE, Pennsylvania
MICHAEL BAUMGARTNER, Washington JOHN W. MANNION, New York
MARK HARRIS, North Carolina YASSAMIN ANSARI, Arizona
MARK B. MESSMER, Indiana
RANDY FINE, Florida
R.J. Laukitis, Staff Director
Veronique Pluviose, Minority Staff Director
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SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
KEVIN KILEY, California, Chairman
MARY E. MILLER, Illinois SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon,
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania Ranking Member
BURGESS OWENS, Utah JAHANA HAYES, Connecticut
MICHAEL A. RULLI, Ohio SUMMER L. LEE, Pennsylvania
JAMES C. MOYLAN, Guam JOHN W. MANNION, New York
RYAN MACKENZIE, Pennsylvania FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida
MARK HARRIS, North Carolina ALMA S. ADAMS, North Carolina
MARK B. MESSMER, Indiana YASSAMIN ANSARI, Arizona
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Hearing held on September 3, 2025................................ 1
OPENING STATEMENTS
Kiley, Hon. Kevin, Chairman, Subcommittee on Early Childhood,
Elementary, and Secondary Education........................ 1
Prepared statement of.................................... 4
Bonamici, Hon. Suzanne, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Early
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education............. 6
Prepared statement of.................................... 9
WITNESSES
Brumley, Dr. Cade, State Superintendent of Education, State
of Louisiana............................................... 12
Prepared statement of.................................... 14
Roughton, Chandra, Founder and CEO, Luminous Minds........... 16
Prepared statement of.................................... 18
Wingfield, Dr. Jhanae, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood
and Literacy Education, Department of Urban Education at
Rutgers University-Newark.................................. 22
Prepared statement of.................................... 24
Harrison, Dr. Brent, Superintendent, Saraland City Schools... 35
Prepared statement of.................................... 37
ADDITIONAL SUBMISSIONS
Ranking Member Bonamici:
Article dated February 14, 2025, from The Times-Picayune/
The New Orleans Advocate Online, titled ``Despite lofty
promises, Louisiana's private-school vouchers fall
short''................................................ 62
Report dated September 11, 2025, from the Education
Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA), titled ``Taxpayer-
Funded Private School Vouchers and Market Failure: A
Policy Scan and Review From 1869 to 2024''............. 68
Article dated July 3, 2025, from kpel965.com, titled
``Acadiana Schools Brace for Deep Cuts as Congress
Slashes Education Funding''............................ 98
Lee, Hon. Summer L., a Representative in Congress from the
State of Pennsylvania:
Report dated 2022, from South Carolina Law Review, titled
``School District Secession in Mobile County, Alabama:
A Case Study of Adaptive Discrimination and Threats to
Multiracial Democracy''................................ 113
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Wednesday, September 3, 2025
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and
Secondary Education
Committee on Education and Workforce,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:15 a.m., in
Room 2175, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Kevin Kiley
(Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.
Present: Representatives Kiley, Miller, Owens, Moylan,
Harris, Messmer, Walberg, Bonamici, Hayes, Lee, Mannion, Adams,
and Scott.
Also present: Representative Stefanik.
Staff present: Vlad Cerga, Director of Information
Technology; Maren Emmerson, Staff Assistant; Cabell Fleet,
Intern; Amy Raaf Jones, Director of Education and Human
Services Policy; Libby Kearns, Press Assistant; Isaiah Knox,
Legislative Assistant; Kyle Kuhlers, AEI Fellow; Campbell Ladd,
Clerk; R.J. Laukitis, Staff Director; Danny Marca, Director of
Information Technology; R.J. Martin, Professional Staff Member;
Audra McGeorge, Communications Director; Eli Mitchell,
Legislative Assistant; Ethan Pann, Deputy Press Secretary and
Digital Director; Ian Prince, Professional Staff Member; Sara
Robertson, Press Secretary; Dominico Sassano, Intern; Brad
Thomas, Deputy Director of Education and Human Services Policy;
Ann Vogel, Director of Operations; James Whittaker, General
Counsel; Damian Arambula, Minority Intern; Ellie Berenson,
Minority Press Assistant; Ilana Brunner, Minority General
Counsel; Nikhita Chinmay, Minority Intern; David Dailey,
Minority Chief of Staff; Zenaida De La Cruz, Minority CHCI
Fellow; Rashage Green, Minority Director of Education Policy &
Counsel; Christian Haines, Minority General Counsel; Sarah
Holehouse, Minority Intern; Maxine Jones, Minority Intern;
Alexandra Pernie, Minority Intern; Samantha Wilkerson, Minority
Professional Staff; Stephanie Lalle, Minority Communications
Director; Raiyana Malone, Minority Press Secretary; Kwesi
Matthews, Minority Einstein Fellow; Eleazar Padilla, Minority
Staff Assistant; Veronique Pluviose, Minority Staff Director.
Chairman Kiley. Good morning. The Subcommittee on Early
Childhood Elementary and Secondary Education will come to
order. I note that a quorum is present. Without objection, the
Chair is authorized to call a recess at any time. The reading
wars are over. For years, for decades, countless young people
in this country received literacy instruction that was not
science based and did not promote the mastery needed for
success in school and in life.
Now, in almost every State in America, science backed
literacy instruction has prevailed. Still, progress has been
uneven. There is unfortunately still much work to do to see
that best practices are followed in states and districts across
the country. More recently, we are seeing the same types of
mistakes repeated when it comes to math.
The latest nation's report card reflects this limited
progress, showing that both fourth grade and eighth grade
reading scores dropped 5 percent compared to 2019. Math scores
dropped 3 points for fourth graders and 8 points for eighth
graders. These low scores are part of a longer-term trend of
poor performance in the U.S., essentially all scores on the
NAEP long term trend assessment have nearly flatlined since
1971.
International comparisons paint the same troubling picture.
A recent international assessment showed that American 15 year
old students are below average in math among nations across the
world. Now, there are many reasons for this decline, but one
major reason, which is our focus today, is how many schools
moved away from grounding their instruction in the science of
learning.
For generations, students in elementary school were taught
to read by identifying letters and the sounds they represent.
Then, starting in the 1970's, a new idea called whole language
arose, leaving behind the explicate direction of phonics as old
fashioned. This new method, which came to be known as three
cueing, or balanced literacy, encourages students to read by
guessing an unknown word based on its context and structure
within a sentence or even adjacent pictures in the book.
This approach was at odds with the science of reading,
which aims to ensure students develop strong foundational
skills. The science of reading emphasizes five core skills that
every child must master: chronological awareness, phonics,
fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
More than 40 states have now passed legislation for
evidence-based reading programs in their schools. These
programs emphasize the importance of phonics, and building a
deep vocabulary, rather than guessing words based on context.
There is a similar science behind learning math skills, where
foundational skills like the four basic functions of
arithmetic, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division,
are taught so that students can perform those functions
automatically, and students are given step-by-step direct
instruction in problem solving.
In too many places, this approach has been overtaken by
teaching philosophies that reject direct instruction for
teachers, devalue content knowledge, and insist on student led
exploration. Here is the good news, which provides great hope
for the future of education, states that truly emphasize the
science of learning in reading and math have gotten outstanding
results.
In Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, for example, a
renewed focus on phonics and arithmetic mastery and holding
schools accountable has resulted in rapidly rising test scores,
even through the Pandemic. Similarly, Luminous Minds, a
California based education platform, has proven that literacy
gains can be achieved in even the most challenging districts,
through rigorous science based-literacy instruction.
Today we will hear from witnesses who have proven that
principled leadership and science math instruction transform
student outcomes. It is time we reclaim America's academic
foundations. This means getting back to basics when it comes to
reading and math. Our nation's freedom, prosperity, and
national strength depend on it.
I am looking forward to today's hearing, and with that I
will turn to the Ranking Member for an opening statement.
[The statement of Chairman Kiley follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Ms. Bonamici. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank
you to the witnesses for being here today. Welcome back, I
expect that we have all spent the previous month visiting,
learning, and connecting with our constituents, and although we
may disagree on some things, we surely can and should agree
that our Nation's children deserve an education that allows
them to reach their full potential and that is safe.
The inspiring educators and school administrators and
bright young people I meet with in schools in Northwest Oregon
always remind me of this. That being said, unfortunately, as we
are having this hearing today people in Minneapolis are still
reeling from another school shooting. This time at Annunciation
Catholic School.
The start of the school year should begin with joyous
activities, not burying classmates or recovering from bullet
wounds. As Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, in the aftermath,
``We can't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right
now, these kids were literally praying when the shooter
attacked. Congress needs to act to prevent gun violence, and
after every senseless shooting, I'm increasingly more
frustrated that we don't.''
This is relevant because we want kids to be able to be
focusing on learning, not worried about their safety. Now, to
the issue at hand, improving math and reading instruction for
students. I am looking forward to this hearing, and I have some
optimism that we can find some bipartisan agreement as we did
with our hearings on screen time and childcare, but I need to
start with a few reminders.
First, the Trump administration is trying to eliminate the
Department of Education. They are proposing a 67 percent cut to
IES, the Institute of Education Sciences, where important
educational research is done. Delayed funding, along with
massive cuts of Department of Education staff who administer
important programs like Title I and IDEA, have already caused
some chaos in public school districts across the country.
Finally, as we frequently discuss, curriculum decisions are
made locally, not by Congress. That being said, I trust we can
all agree that literacy and reading, and math are important for
success in school and the future. We could also agree that the
latest NAEP scores, as the Chairman said, show room for
improvement. No doubt about it.
As we have this discussion, I do urge us to keep in mind
that this year's NAEP results now have more specific
information about the socioeconomic status of students. Those
results show, for example, that 77 percent of fourth graders
from the highest socioeconomic status scored above the national
average, while only 34 percent of students from the lower
socioeconomic status performed above average.
I just hope we can keep these disparities in mind as we
continue our hearing today and beyond. You know, this Committee
works on things like school nutrition, if kids are hungry, they
cannot learn. Also, looking back on the screen time hearing, a
growing number of schools and districts and even states are
banning cell phones during the day. It will be interesting to
see how those students do in math and reading once those bans
have been in place for a while.
Here is the bottom line. Without the long-term and
sustained Federal investment, students in schools will still
lack the tools, the resources, and importantly the research
they need to best teach all students to learn, including math
and reading. The overwhelming majority of students in the
United States, about 90 percent, attend public schools.
Public education is the foundation on which we build our
future. Public schools serve the needs of every child,
regardless of background or income. That is why we must invest
in public education, and I submit, oppose voucher scams that
are funneling taxpayer dollars to private institutions.
That said, I and most democrats support a wide range of
options within the public school system, including magnet
schools where I have seen students thrive when they have these
options. For example, we have some of the top magnet programs
in the State, in the district I represent, including Portland,
Oregon's Benson Polytechnic High School, a CTE magnet school
that offers programs in automotive, building instruction,
electrical engineering, health occupations, media production
and more.
Those are engaged students, who are learning. The Beaverton
District has many choices: an international magnet, an arts and
communication magnet, and an Academy of Science and
Engineering. Again, programs that engage students, keep them in
school, increase attendance, and make them more likely to
succeed.
These valuable opportunities are offered to all students
and most importantly, they are offered at free public schools
that are required to comply with the Individual's with
Disabilities Education Act.
Unfortunately, my colleagues have passed in the present and
signed into law the Big, Ugly Bill, which will create the first
nationwide school voucher program, effectively diverting
taxpayer funding and resources from public schools that enables
donors of school voucher programs to receive a 100 percent tax
credit for contributions, elevating those donations to voucher
programs above all other donations, including donations made to
food pantries or hospitals, or places of worship, and every
other kind of charity.
Additionally, the new law will allow individuals earning up
to and including 300 percent of the area median gross income to
qualify to use vouchers to send their children to private
schools, including religious schools. An analysis by the
Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that this new
private school voucher program could cost 56 billion dollars
per year, more than all current Federal K-12 spending combined.
As I have said before, there is room for improvement and
families want to have options, but the newly established
National School Voucher Program is counterproductive and will
make things worse for the majority at 90 percent of students
who attend public schools, which is especially concerning in
rural areas like in parts of the State that I represent. There
are no other options.
They are already short on funding. There is no other school
that a student could use a voucher for. Instead of spending
time and resources on voucher schemes that do not work, and I
will be introducing a very recent study proving that, Congress
should focus on holding the Education Department accountable
for carrying out its mission to promote a high-quality
education, free from discrimination for all students.
I look forward to the conversation, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
[The statement of Ranking Member Bonamici follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kiley. Pursuant to Committee Rule 8(c), all
members who wish to insert written statements into the record
may do so by submitting them to the Committee Clerk in
Microsoft Word format by 5 p.m., 14 days after this hearing.
Without objection, the hearing record will remain open for 14
days to all such statements, and other extraneous material
noted during the hearing, to be submitted-for the official
hearing record.
I will now introduce our witnesses. Our first witness is
Dr. Cade Brumley, the State Superintendent of Education for the
State of Louisiana, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Our second
witness is Chandra Roughton, the Founder of Luminous Minds from
Luminous, California.
Our third witness is Dr. Jhanae Wingfield, an Assistant
Professor of Early Childhood and Literacy Education for the
Department of Urban Education at Rutger's University, Newark,
in Newark, New Jersey. Our fourth witness is Dr. Brent
Harrison, the Superintendent of Saraland City Schools in
Saraland, Alabama.
We thank the witnesses for being here today, and we look
forward to your testimony. Pursuant to Committee Rules, I would
ask that you each limit your oral presentation to a 3-minute
summary of your written statement, as Committee members have
many questions for you. The clock will count down from 3
minutes. However, pursuant to Committee Rule 8(d), and
Committee practice, we will not cutoff your testimony until you
reach the 5-minute mark.
I would also like to remind the witnesses to be aware of
your responsibility to provide accurate information to the
Subcommittee. With that, I will first recognize Dr. Brumley for
your testimony.
STATEMENT OF DR. CADE BRUMLEY, STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF
EDUCATION, STATE OF LOUISIANA, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
Mr. Brumley. Distinguished members of the Committee, thank
you for having me here with you today. My name is Cade Brumley,
and I am honored to be the State Superintendent of Education in
the great State of Louisiana. It remains my honor to be able to
share the story of Louisiana's historic progress across our
State, and across the county, which is a testament to the fine
teachers doing work across our State every single day.
On 2019's nation's report card, the State of Louisiana
ranked 50th in the country. 50th for fourth-grade reading and
fourth-grade math. Since then, Louisiana has led the entire
country on two consecutive cycles of NAEP, and now Louisiana's
fourth graders rank 16th in the country on literacy. Yes, from
50th to 16th.
Similarly, Louisiana has improved 12 places in fourth-grade
math and is ranked in the top five for math growth overall in
2024. These gains at the fourth-grade level are remarkable, but
they are only part of a much larger story unfolding in the
State of Louisiana.
As a State, Louisiana has improved our overall ranking. In
2024, it has improved our overall ranking from 2019 when we
were 50th in the country on the Nation's report card, to being
32d today on the Nation's report card.
Likewise, U.S. News and World Report has our Pre-K12
ranking moving from 50th in 2019 to 37 today. These historic
improvements did not occur by accident or by chance. They
happened because of an intentional focus and strategy. Over the
past 5 years, we have ushered in historic and comprehensive
education reforms in our State that have focused on getting
back to the basics, valuing teachers as professionals,
expanding educational freedom, and enriching parental rights.
In terms of back to the basics, for too long, Louisiana's
schools have used their personnel, resources, time to
prioritize in endeavors not aligned with their original intent.
The intent to ensure academic excellence. Instead of
chasing shiny themes, Louisiana schools now provide a laser
focus on teaching fundamental academic content and skills on
the pursuit of academic excellence.
Specifically, we have implemented the science of reading
statewide. Likewise, in math, we have returned to a tried-and-
true practice of building foundational numeracy skills. These
reforms require teachers in the classrooms, so we must value
them. After the parent, there is nothing more important for
every child than having a high-quality teacher.
Teachers deserve effective school leaders, meaningful
professional learning, reduced distractions, elevated voice,
and compensation that makes sense in the 21st Century. We must
appreciate all of these things to the profession. In Louisiana,
we actually listen to teachers.
Through our Let Teachers Teach Initiative, we have done
amazing work of removing barriers and distractions and removing
bureaucracy that has pulled teachers away from instruction and
has restored discipline to the classroom.
We have also expanded opportunities for families. In
Louisiana, educational freedom opportunities have become more
abundant for our families. We have expanded choice options and
removed barriers to accessing environments that make the most
sense for each individual student.
Educational freedom is inseparable from parental rights
because parents are the child's first and foremost teachers.
Children belong to their parents, not the government. Anything
to solidify and accelerate the fundamental right of the parent
must be a priority for each of us.
Parents send their children to school expecting strong
instruction in reading, in math, in science, and in history,
not indoctrination on divisive issues. In closing I would like
to thank President Trump and Secretary McMahon for their
leadership and empowering the states to chart their own
educational path, and I am proud of the work that we have
accomplished in the State of Louisiana.
Moving from 50th in the country in 2019 on the Nation's
report card to 32d here today. I am hopeful about where we are
going. We are pleased, but we are not satisfied. There is more
work to do, and we must keep getting better. I look forward to
discussing our progress with each of you, our challenges, and
the lessons that we have learned along the way, which may be
valuable to others.
Thank you again for this opportunity to speak today.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Brumley follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much. I will next recognize
Ms. Roughton for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF MS. CHANDRA ROUGHTON, FOUNDER, LUMINOUS MINDS,
LOOMIS, CALIFORNIA
Ms. Roughton. Good morning Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member,
distinguished Members of Congress. I would just like to thank
you for the opportunity to be here this morning and speak to
you about truly one of the most critical and urgent issues
facing our educational system.
How we teach young children how to read. My name is Chandra
Roughton, and I'm the CEO and Founder for Luminous Minds, an
educational platform that provides science of reading aligned
resources, stellar professional development for teachers, and
works on family engagement initiatives, supporting districts,
schools and intervention programs across our country.
Before founding Luminous Minds, I had the privilege of
serving in public education for over two decades, as a
classroom teacher, an instruction coach, a principal, a
curriculum expert, most of this time being in Title I schools
working with our at risk students.
My passion has always been literacy, and today I am here,
not just as an educator, but as an advocate for children all
over our Nation that are depending on us to get this right. Let
me begin with the reality that is both heartbreaking, yet also
motivating. As shared by our Chairman, according to the most
recent NAEP data, only 33 percent of fourth graders in the
United States are reading at or above proficiency.
That means 67 percent, two out of every three children are
not. Unfortunately, this is not a new reality. Since 1992, our
national reading scores have hovered between 29 and 37 percent.
Despite decades of reform, the needle has not moved. In plain
terms, more children in this country can't read than can.
Here is what's even more troubling. We know what works, and
we have not consistently implemented it. The science of reading
is not a trend, and it is not a theory. It is a body of decades
long research from fields like neuroscience, cognitive
psychology, linguistics, and it tells us how the brain learns
to read and exactly what's required to teach it effectively in
our schools.
Reading is not a natural process. Unlike speaking, which
children acquire effortlessly, just through basic exposure and
interaction, learning how to read is a very complex, cognitive
task. It literally requires rewiring of the brain where we have
to connect visual, auditory, and linguistic pathways, so that
we can make meaning from print.
Only 5 to 10 percent of children learn how to read
naturally without any instruction. For the rest, that's 90 to
95 percent, success depends on direct explicit teaching through
structured literacy as promoted in the science of reading. The
encouraging news is that all children can learn to read when
given evidence-based instruction, trained educators, and the
right support.
The science of reading outlines five essential pillars to
make reading instruction effective. These are focusing on
phonological awareness, phonics, building fluency, developing
high level academic vocabulary, and comprehension. Too often,
classrooms are still relying on outdated, ineffective practices
like balanced literacy and the three cuing-method, which
prompts students to guess at words, instead of learning the
skills to properly decode them.
Science is very clear. Guessing is not reading. In
contrast, structured literacy promoted by the science of
reading, equips children with systemic phonics decoding
process, access to high quality materials like decidable texts,
building confidence and joy. Encouragingly, more and more
states are banning the three cuing method and requiring science
aligned instruction.
This is absolutely a step in the right direction, but it's
not enough to change the standards. State and local governments
must also support educators through high quality, proper
training, through coaching, and access to research-based
materials. Teachers deserve the knowledge and tools to do what
works. Families and parents deserve to understand how they can
help their children learn how to read at home.
Most importantly, our children deserve instruction that
gives them the best chance to succeed at life. We do not need
to keep guessing. We know what works, we simply need the will,
the coordination, and the commitment to act on it. Thank you
again for the opportunity to speak with you today. I look
forward to your questions and in working together on real
solutions for our Nation's most precious asset, our children.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Roughton follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much. I will next recognize
Dr. Wingfield for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF DR. JHANAE WINGFIELD, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF EARLY
CHILDHOOD AND LITERACY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF URBAN EDUCATION
AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY NEWARK, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
Ms. Wingfield. Good morning and thank you, Chairman,
Ranking Member and members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for
the opportunity to testify on proven instruction for reading
and math. This critical issue matter deeply to me and millions
of families, students, educators and policymakers.
My name is Jhanae Wingfield, and I serve as an Assistant
Professor of Early Childhood and Literacy Education at Rutgers
University, Newark. I come before you today in both a personal
and professional capacity. My journey in education has been
multifaceted. I have served as a classroom teacher, a literacy
coach, an administrator, a professor preparing future
educators, and a researcher working across many school types
and student populations.
Personally, I am also a proud product of public schools,
having attended both State and public institutions throughout
my academic career. These experiences, both lived and
professional, have given me deep understanding of the
challenges and possibilities in literacy and math instruction.
It is from this vantage point that I make the case for
proven instructional practices, the urgent need to invest in
efforts that strengthen teaching and learning in public
schools, and the importance of resisting policies, such as
school vouchers, that weaken and undermine our public education
system.
The history of literacy in the United States is tied to
inequity, from antiliteracy laws, to chronic underfunding of
schools serving low-income students, access to reading and
writing has never been evenly distributed. Today, the
disparities persist. Children from marginalized communities are
more likely to fall behind, and those who do not achieve
reading proficiency by third grade are four times more likely
to drop out of high school.
According to NAEP's 2024 report, just a third of U.S.
fourth graders are reading at or above proficiency. For black
fourth graders, many of them scored 28 points behind their
white peers. By eighth grade, black students average reading
scores showed no significance change from 2019, while white
student scored declined, which narrowed the gap, but the
difference remained substantial at 24 points.
Long-term trend data underscores how persistent these gaps
are. For decades, NAEP has reported racial disparities in
achievement, and they remain entrenched. In mathematics, the
long-term trend assessment for 13-year-olds showed that white
and black score difference widened from 35 points in 2020 to 42
points in 2023.
This gap does not reflect black students' capability,
rather it calls into question whether our instructional
practices in classroom environments are truly designed for all
children and a reminder that math achievement is not separate
from literacy. Understanding word problems, following multistep
instructions, and explaining reasoning all depend on students
access to and use of academic language and literacy skills.
Students who struggle with reading often struggle with
math, not because they lack ability, but because they cannot
access the language in which math is taught. Investments in
literacy are therefore investments in all learning, and in
long-term success of our students.
To ensure those investments have impact, literacy
instruction must also acknowledge and honor linguistic
diversity students bring into the classroom. The science of
reading has provided valuable insights into how children learn
to decode and recognize words, but we must remember that
students come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. They speak
different dialects, regional varieties, and languages at home.
If instruction does not reflect these realities, students
can be misunderstood, mislabeled, or left behind. Strong
literacy instruction requires both evidence-based practices and
culturally responsive teaching. Teachers need sustained
training and resources to meet students where they are, and
that requires public investment that does not fluctuate from
year to year.
We have seen what targeted investments can accomplish. In
New Jersey, districts like Union City, once considered at risk
for State takeover, leveraged Federal relief funds to mitigate
learning loss during the pandemic, providing high impact
tutoring, extended summer learning, and expanded digital
access. As a result, Union City has become a model for how
equitable investment can transform student achievement.
When schools are well supported, children thrive. When
funding is withheld or diverted to private vouchers, equity
suffers. Students with disabilities are especially vulnerable.
Federal laws guarantee access to education, but without
adequate funding schools cannot provide the individualized
support these students need.
Evidence-based interventions, specialized instruction, and
assistive technology all depend on predictable, sustained
investments. Public schools are not just educational
institutions. They are community anchors. No, teachers should
not be expected to serve as social workers, or sacrifice their
own well-being, but they must be equipped with training and
anti-biased practices and social emotional development, so that
they can support the whole child.
The whole child can only engage in learning when they are
safe, well-nourished, healthy and stably housed. Public schools
provide stability, safety, and opportunity for children and
families. When Federal support is frozen or inconsistent,
programs collapse, staff shortages worsen, and students lose
access to the very resources that allow them to succeed.
Investment in public schools--oh sorry. Sorry. Oh, sorry.
Investment in public schools and teacher preparation, and
literacy research--it is not optional. It is essential. I will
stop there. I am sorry.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Wingfield follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much. I will last recognize
Dr. Harrison for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF DR. BRENT HARRISON, SUPERINTENDENT, SARALAND CITY
SCHOOLS, SARALAND, ALABAMA
Mr. Harrison. Good morning, and thank you for allowing me
to be here today. My name is Brent Harrison, and I am honored
to serve as a Superintendent of the Saraland City Schools in
Saraland, Alabama. Saraland City schools opened in 2008 with
just over 1,500 students.
Today we serve approximately 3,400 students, a 126 percent
increase in enrollment over that time. Our student body is 73
percent white, 17 percent African American, and over half
qualify for free or reduced lunch. Despite these socioeconomic
challenges, Saraland consistently ranks among the highest
performing districts in the State of Alabama.
On the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, which is
our State accountability testing component, our students excel
in English language arts, math, and science. Over the past
several years, we have remained in the top ten statewide in all
three subjects, as far as proficiency.
In 2025, we ranked fifth in ELA, sixth in science, and
seventh in math. These results are especially meaningful when
you consider that our students are being compared to peers and
communities around the State of Alabama, with median home
prices nearly 1 million dollars and household incomes of
$300,000 a year.
In Saraland, the median home income price is around
$230,000. The average household income is $60,000. We attribute
our success to a strong school culture, strategic curriculum
choices made by the State of Alabama, and a relentless focus on
data.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Saraland was one of the first
districts to reopen in August 2020, and we did not miss a
single day of in person instruction. Our blue-collar community
showed up, and our students thrived. In our minds, our return
to school and the classrooms led to a minimum learning losses
across the board.
In literacy, we follow the Alabama Literacy Act, which
mandates proficiency on the ACAP reading subtest for third
grade promotion. We use Phonics First, an Orton-Gillingham
based program aligned with the science of reading. It supports
Tier 1 instruction and-provides targeted interventions for
struggling students.
Last year, only 5 of our 262 third graders did not meet
proficiency. All of whom had IEPs or Individualized Education
Plans and were already receiving support. In math, we emphasize
fluency and automaticity through tools like reflex math and a
spiraling approach that revisits concepts throughout the school
year.
This builds deep understanding and problem-solving skills
for our students for the year to come and in years to come,
throughout their education. Our greatest gains come from how we
approach Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction. Instead of reteaching
current material, we use data to identify and close
foundational skill gaps. This targeted approach continues until
students are ready to succeed in Tier 1 instruction.
At Saraland City Schools we eat, sleep, and breathe data.
It drives every decision we make. Combined with our strong
curriculum and proven instructional practices, our data driven
culture is what sets us apart. Not for the accolades, but
because it is what is best for children.
Thank you again for allowing me to share our story. It is
an honor to represent a district that proves excellence is
possible regardless of zip code. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Harrison follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much. Under Committee Rule
9, we will now question witnesses under the 5-minute rule, and
I will first recognize the Chairman of the Full Committee the
representative from Michigan, Mr. Walberg.
Mr. Walberg. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks to the
witnesses for being here, and demonstrating that education can
take place and could take place well at the local and state
level with control there. That goes right to classroom as was
pointed out by Dr. Brumley, the teacher and the parent working
together for the students' best interest, thank you.
Dr. Brumley, one of the focuses of the Committee this year
has been dismantling the Department of Education, and I do not
back away from that. A trillion dollars spent since 1980 and
our test scores going down. Failure taking place until
individual attempts like your schools in your districts, your
states deciding this is not acceptable.
As I am sure you would agree, education is fundamentally a
state and local issue, and we have seen democratic
administrations use the department to abuse their power and
pressure states into adopting woke policies that do not work.
As a state leader, how would it make your job easier to have
less Federal micromanagement, Dr. Brumley?
Mr. Brumley. Yes, sir. Thank you for the question. First
and foremost, I too support dismantling the U.S. Department of
Education. I tend to think that educational decisions are best
made by moms and dads working with local teachers and local
systems on what makes the most sense for their children and
their community.
Mr. Walberg. I love those kids.
Mr. Brumley. As I have previously shared with the
administration, if one believes that education is a state's
rights issue, such that I believe, then the administration has
to also respect that states may approach education in different
ways, from Washington State to Louisiana, from Texas to
Vermont. I think that is okay and that is good.
I appreciate President Trump and Secretary McMahon working
to dismantle that particular agency. I understand it takes an
act of Congress, so to speak, to get that done, but anything
that they can do to further empower states to remove some of
the excessive bureaucracies, some of the unnecessary strings
attached to funding, which are taxpayer dollars that come into
the states, and to elevate the parent.
We appreciate that. We think that is good, and so, our
agency at the Louisiana Department of Education, we stand
ready. We have a Governor in the State of Louisiana that is
education focused, in Governor Landry.
We have the State Legislator that is working alongside us.
We have the State board of Education that is working alongside
of us, and so we have a streamlined approach.
We think policymakers in the State of Louisiana, along with
moms and dads, can make good decisions without bureaucrats in
D.C. getting in our way.
Mr. Walberg. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Roughton, in your
testimony you mentioned the NAEP scores, which are concerning
to say the least. For me, as I look at Michigan, terrible NAEP
scores. Can you talk about the implications that having so many
children unable to read, and how this impacts their futures as
well as their present?
Ms. Roughton. Yes. Thank you for the question. Literacy is
a gateway skill, as shared in some of the testimony this
afternoon. If we cannot read, we cannot unlock and access
learning from all other subjects.
If we think about math, we are not able to solve math word
problems. If I am not reading, and I do not have reading
comprehension, and I am in high school, I cannot read a drama
script and fully embody and play my role correctly.
If I am a tradesman, I need to be able to read safety codes
and warranties and manuals. Without focusing on primary skills,
foundational literacy in the early years, K2, where children
need it the most, we are just limiting access to education, and
I am sorry, the second part to your question, Mr. Walberg?
Mr. Walberg. That was the key part, yes.
Ms. Roughton. Thank you.
Mr. Walberg. Thank you, and you addressed it, limiting--
limiting the opportunity for students who cannot read. Thank
you. Dr. Harrison, Alabama in 2019 passed a law requiring
schools to use the science of reading. How important is it to a
person like yourself to have the State Legislature enact laws
that encourage that type of action?
Mr. Harrison. For Alabama, for us as a school district in
Alabama, it is very important because across the State we are a
very transient district, meaning we do have a lot of students
that do transfer in from around our local surrounding areas.
Having a State curriculum, knowing that students within the
State of Alabama are all following the science of reading
curriculum throughout the State, helps us pinpoint where that
student should be coming into us, where we should be able to
meet them, and we try to meet every student where they are, and
help them create and grow and go from there.
It is vital for us in our State that we all are on the same
page of sheet music, so to speak, and are all following the
science of reading. Again, it is pivotal for us because we know
each step, each classroom you go in, you are able to see each
teacher following the different steps of science of reading day
in and day out from one classroom to the next.
Mr. Walberg. Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman Kiley. Ranking Member Bonamici, the Representative
from Oregon is recognized.
Ms. Bonamici. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks to the
witnesses. Just a reminder in response to the Chairman's
question that curriculum decisions are made by State and local
governments. They are not made by Congress, but where Congress
does make a difference, you know, we have heard a lot about the
teacher preparation, having educators who are skilled in this
literacy issue, that is Title II, low-income students, the
additional resources that help them, that is Title I. That is
where the Federal dollars come in, it is not in setting
curriculum.
You know, we can all acknowledge as have the NAEP scores
are not where we would like them to be, especially for the most
disadvantaged students, and we might even agree on some of the
reasons, Covid, screen time, where we disagree is on the
solutions, and cutting Federal funding and research for K-12
education is not the answer.
Now, earlier this year the Trump administration cut nearly
900 million dollars in educational research, contracts at the
Institute of Education Sciences, including contracts for long-
term studies that would have produced data on how to best help
students learn.
Dr. Wingfield, a significant part of this canceled research
related to students in elementary and secondary schools, but
why is the IES data important, and what will these cuts means?
Ms. Wingfield. Yes, so thank you for that question. I would
like to start by stating that we all referenced NAEP scores,
which are all funded, which are funded by the research from
IES. IES is a research arm of the Department of Education, so
we are all referencing these points, this data that is funded
by what we are talking about cutting funds from, but we all use
that data to inform our practice.
Ms. Bonamici. Right.
Ms. Wingfield. IES funds practice and policy, and without
that in place, we are going to be making uninformed decisions.
In addition to that, we also talked about multitiered, some of
the practices that we talked about IES also funds that. These
multi-tier practices that have been extremely helpful to move
the scores forward in Alabama continuously are funded by IES to
continuously improve those practices as well.
It will be harmful, not just to those disadvantaged
students, but to all students, we are taking away these
datapoints that we used to inform us.
Ms. Bonamici. We do not really know what would happen to
IES if the Department of Education is abolished. What happens
to Title I? What happens to IDEA? What happens to the
educational research?
Dr. Wingfield, this year's NAEP scores, as I discussed,
have more socioeconomic information than previous years,
showing that 77 percent of wealthier students scored above
average, but only 34 percent of low-income students. What
should we learn from that?
Ms. Wingfield. Yes. I think that is an indication of what I
talked about earlier. Literacy practices and access to quality
education has not always been easily accessible to both
students of diverse backgrounds, and students of lower
socioeconomics. What we really need to make a greater
investment on is one, cultural practices and teacher education.
Teacher education is largely white women, and our student
population is largely students of diverse backgrounds. What
investment can we make in making sure that we are not just
educating our educators on evidence-based practices, but
learning how to bridge those connections between home and
school.
Ms. Bonamici. How important are programs like McKinney
Vento, that helps homeless students, or school nutrition
programs that make sure that students have full bellies when
they are trying to learn.
Ms. Wingfield. Incredibly because you cannot learn without
stable housing or food.
Ms. Bonamici. Well, in my final couple minute or so, you
know, a few months ago the republicans passed this
reconciliation, Big Ugly Bill that includes the first
nationwide K-12 school voucher program that will divert
resources away from public schools that serve more than 90
percent of students.
How will diverting the funds away from public schools
affect reading and math instruction in the public schools for
90 percent of students?
Ms. Wingfield. It will kill the resources that are in place
to help our highest need students, so we are losing programs.
It will affect capacity as well, so losing teachers and staff
that will support these programs that help move these students
along.
Ms. Bonamici. Yes, I would just submit in the remaining
time that these are not easy issues to deal with, and we have
to have a more comprehensive conversation about what these test
scores mean, and I think that is one of the purposes of this
hearing today. As I mentioned in the opening statement, there
is a lot happening with students, with mental health concerns,
with gun violence, with ICE raids, there is a lot on students'
minds right now.
Until we address those underlying issues we are not going
to comprehensively solve this issue, and again, I appreciate
this hearing, but Congress does not set curriculum, and what we
really need is the research, and that is what is being cut. I
yield back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kiley. I will now recognize myself for 5 minutes.
Ms. Roughton, I found your testimony very compelling when it
came to how brain science ought to inform proper literacy
instruction.
It seems to me the fallacy of some of these discredited
approaches, like whole language or three cueism, or whatever we
want to call it, is that it assumes that students can learn
literacy or written language sort of in the same way they learn
spoken language, kind of by osmosis.
That, as you explained, that is not true because the brain
is hard wired to acquire oral language skills, and to
generalize from limited inputs in a way that is not true when
it comes to written language. Could you just yes, tell us a
little bit more about the problems with these alternative
approaches that have been in vogue for too long?
Ms. Roughton. Yes, absolutely. Thank you Mr. Chairman. As
you have shared, approaches like balanced literacy and the
three cuing just came out of this incorrect belief that
children learn how to read naturally. If we could just fill our
classrooms with books and have a word rich environment, that
children would just pick up reading effortlessly.
We now know and have known since the National Reading Panel
published the Science of Reading in 2000, that this is not
accurate. That the brain is not wired to learn how to read and
it has to be explicitly taught in our schools. The danger of
districts and schools that are still utilizing these outdated
practices, like three cuing and balanced literacy, is that we
are promoting guessing.
If I could give you an example in a kindergarten class. A
kindergarten class that is still using balanced literacy might
be doing a read aloud, and the sentence is that the baby is and
there is an unfamiliar word. The teacher might instruct the
students to guess what this word could be looking at contextual
clues or looking at the picture.
If the picture was a baby sleeping, a child might guess
sleeping. What if the word was actually napping, dreaming,
resting, so if I focused on phonics and foundational skills, I
could have my students decode and sound out that word,
understanding that N begins with na, napp, napping, and we
could sound it out.
What we see, the aftermath of this is children that have
been guessing in the primary grades where they should have been
focused on foundational learning, is we have these widened gaps
in comprehension, whereas text gets harder in third grade and
above. Guessing strategies just completely fall apart.
This is particularly true for our students that are at risk
for students that have learning differences.
Chairman Kiley. Fortunately, we have seen a return to the
foundational skills, as the primary method, at least in the
laws of many states. Could you tell us a little bit more about
what that entails? I think everyone is familiar with phonics,
but it is more than just that, right?
Ms. Roughton. Yes. Phonics is certainly essential and
critical, but the science of reading actually outlines five
pillars, phonics being one. I would like to share that we want
to think about these pillars as pieces of a rope, and they all
need to be intertwined and working together for true reading
success.
Phonics is a critical component, but we must also be
developing phonological awareness, rhyming, doing syllables,
changing the smallest unit of sound. We call it a phoning.
Changing beginning, middle, ending sounds of words, while we
are doing this and teaching letters sound correspondence or
phonics, we also need to be building academic vocabulary.
In a kindergarten class, I might be learning how to decode
simple words like sun and mat, but I also need to be introduced
to high level vocabulary, like ecosystems, perseverance, what
do these words mean? Then through that I need to be putting
sounds together to read words, words together to read
sentences, to build fluency, to develop automaticity.
Then when those four pillars come in hand, I need less
brain power as a child to decode, and now I can make that shift
to focusing on the fifth pillar, which is comprehension. They
all need to be working together for our children to have true
literacy success.
Chairman Kiley. Finally, I know that your organization has
been very successful when it comes to teacher training, so
could you just expound a little on how critical it is that
teachers have the tools for proper literacy instruction?
Ms. Roughton. Yes, absolutely. I think supporting our
teachers is so essential, and it is not just giving them a one
stop shop training. It is ongoing and continuous support, where
teachers are looking at their classroom data and assessments
and making those informed decisions.
We know that we cannot just give teachers great resources,
you know, those resources just can sit on a shelf and get
dusty. If we want them to use, especially new resources that
they might be unfamiliar with, we have to give them that
training and support to go with it.
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much, and as you have said
in your introduction, we know what works, and so now the task
is just to make sure that every child in this country has
access to the instruction that we now does work.
I will now recognize the Representative from Pennsylvania,
Ms. Lee.
Ms. Lee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It should go without
being said that children need to have quality reading and math
instruction. We need to invest in these skills. That said, we
also cannot keep asking schools, educators, children and
families to do more with less.
This Committee is asking schools to improve math and
reading schools, while the Department of Education is being
dismantled, while schools are dealing with ongoing disruptions
from this administration, unexpectantly cutting and freezing
funding for educational programs, while teachers face the
impossible choice between a profession that they love, and
earning a dignified wage that would allow them to actually pay
back their insurmountable student loan debt.
While children have to sit in increasingly hot classrooms
with worsening air quality, and no HVAC systems, or while
parents have to drop their kids off fearing that ICE might be
there waiting to separate them, or while students and staff
have to walk into school every morning wondering if their
school will be the next target of a mass shooting.
If you want to support children's math and reading, we need
to make sure that they have safe, well-resourced learning
environments. Just last night, republican appropriators in the
House voted to slash 12 billion dollars from the Department of
Education's budget, including cutting about 5 billion dollars
from Title I funding, almost a 30 percent decrease.
Title I funds provided instructional support, enrichment
activities, math and reading interventions, and so much more to
school districts that do not have the luxury of millions of
dollars in a property tax base revenue. Dr. Brumley, we
appreciate you being here to share Louisiana's story with NAEP
scores and other successes.
Are you able to share how much Title I-A funding Louisiana
received for Fiscal Year 24 and 25?
Mr. Brumley. Yes, ma'am. We received roughly 400 million
dollars.
Ms. Lee. Just yes or no, do you think Title I and other
Federal funding for things like reading specialists, math
interventionist, contributed to Louisiana's improvement in NAEP
scores?
Mr. Brumley. I think we have used all of our funding
sources very well in a strategy to get better results for kids.
Ms. Lee. Certainly, and those ones specifically that they
contribute?
Mr. Brumley. I think we have used all of our sources very
well.
Ms. Lee. Yes. Given that the administration is proposing a
15 percent cut to Federal education funding, bringing
investment levels back to those of 2010, what steps is
Louisiana prepared to take to protect students' learning if
that funding is reduced, particularly in districts that rely
heavily on Federal support?
Mr. Brumley. Yes, so we are already engaged in academic
return on investment procedures, and we have asked local
systems to do the same. We want to make sure that we are
focused on initiatives that matter most in that pursuit of
academic excellence, and teaching kids to read and do math.
Ms. Lee. Does that imply that there might be cuts?
Mr. Brumley. You know, we just received this information
this morning, so obviously we would work with the
administration, we would work with the Secretary to learn more
about the impacts of said cuts.
Ms. Lee. Thank you. We know that State budgets are not
equipped to make up the educational funding shortfall that this
administration is proposing. It is past time to abandon the
playbook where the Federal Government removes the resources
children need to succeed, and then pushes them, or punishes
them for failing systems.
Dr. Wingfield, in your testimony you highlighted that
differences in race, income, and geography continue to shape
who has access to high-quality instruction, and who bears the
burden when systems fail. Briefly, why is literacy instruction
an equity and a civil rights issue?
Ms. Wingfield. Having access to the strong literacy of
being literate within our society allows for economic and
economic mobility and stability in communities that are more
literate, are more civically engaged, and they also make better
choices when it comes to the health and well-being.
Ms. Lee. Thank you. Your testimony also highlights the long
history of racialized assumptions about intelligence that I can
only assume are implicit in the types of instructions some
folks want to reclaim.
Given this history, can you explain why inclusive and
culturally relevant curriculums are beneficial, and why it is
important, for example, for black students to see themselves
centered in stories when they are learning to read?
Ms. Wingfield. Absolutely. We need to create environments
that are affirming and safe for students, all students,
especially black students, Latino students, students with
disabilities, to feel affirmed and safe within their spaces, so
that they can take the educational risks that are appropriate
for learning in classroom settings.
We also need to create environments for those students that
do not create erasure. They should be able to see themselves
reflected back in that curriculum, through language and just
possibilities for themselves outside of the school system. We
also have to ensure that the different varieties of culture and
language that students are not coming to school with are being
perceived as in the biased way from the schoolteachers, leading
to the way in which they instruct their students.
I just want to add one key point. I think it is commendable
the growth that Louisiana has made in their reading scores, but
if we were to disaggregate that data, and look specifically at
black students, you will still see an overwhelming gap in the
reading proficiency.
We can talk about the science of reading, which is
incredibly helpful, and it does truly inform, and data truly
informs instruction in classrooms, but we cannot ignore race
when we are talking about literacy because not all students are
experiencing it, or accessing it in the same way.
Ms. Lee. Thank you. I agree, and I appreciate your
testimony. Thank you all so much for joining us today and I
yield back.
Chairman Kiley. Representative Owens of Utah is recognized.
Mr. Owens. Thank you so much for this. Let us just start
off with one fact. Our system has failed our kids for decades.
Decades. It is interesting that as we are trying to get it
fixed up, we have people who just do not want to change. Let me
just kind of go back to 2017 when 75 percent of the black boys
in the State of California were found to be illiterate. Here in
D.C., zero proficiency in math.
We just had--the study just came out that 70--64 percent of
our kids across the country in eighth grade cannot read and
write. No, it is time to change, and it is time to change with
innovation with bills that are at the table here looking at
ways to get that done.
I did a little AI stuff here, and I wanted to tie in
ignorant and free could never be was one of the foundations of
our country to make sure we were always presenting the smartest
case in the country in the world.
This is AI, is ignorance the lack of critical thinking
skills? Ignorance is primarily the lack of knowledge. It can be
also stemmed from a lack of critical thinking skills,
especially when critical thinking processes are inefficient. Is
there a link between math and critical thinking? Yes.
By the way, we are failing our kids in math. Yes, critical
thinking is strongly linked to mathematics, as math inherently
requires analytical skills, logical reasoning, and problem
solving. Is critical thinking tied into reading? Yes.
There are strong, established links between reading and
critical thinking skills with reading acting as a powerful tool
for developing of abilities by improving comprehension and
analysis and evaluation of information. That being said, we
need to bring this process back to where we are getting our
kids to think again.
Dr. Brumley, first of all good seeing you again. You
mentioned in your Let Teachers Teach Initiative, you said that
teachers deserve efficient, effective school leaders who reduce
distractions, and have a conversation. I agree with the
compensation particularly is based on merit.
How is your State addressing these issues, and what is the
effect on the academic results?
Mr. Brumley. The fact that we have moved from 49th in the
country on the Nation's report card to 32d today, and number 16
on fourth grade literacy, is a testament to the teachers.
Roughly three or 4 years ago, we had about 2,500 teaching
vacancies in our State, now we have got about 1,000.
That has to do with smart policies enacted at the State and
locals doing really good work. We have used differentiated
compensation to pay teachers more in high need areas, to pay
teachers more for outstanding results with kids learning. We
have kicked off our Let Teachers Teach Initiative, which
removes distractions from the classroom, removes excessive
trainings for teachers.
It removes bureaucracy that is burdening them every single
day. We believe that there is nothing more important. We
fundamentally believe that there is nothing more important than
the parent for the child's success, but after that, No. 1 is
the teacher. If we can make sure that every classroom in the
State of Louisiana is equipped with a high-quality teacher, we
will get great results.
Unfortunately, teachers are telling kids, do not go in the
teaching profession, and that is a shame. I think that we can
correct that, and we are correcting that in the State of
Louisiana with our Let Teachers Teach Initiative, which is
further empowering and elevating that profession.
Mr. Owens. Does this impact black kids and white kids
together, in terms of the strategies. Is there any difference
in how this is being accepted in the success of it?
Mr. Brumley. What we see when we look at our NAEP results
is that Louisiana is outperforming relative states across the
country in those reading and math scores, and 73 percent of the
students in our traditional public schools in the State of
Louisiana we consider economically disadvantaged.
When we are talking about growth from 50th in reading in
2019 to 16th today, those are all students. Those are
economically disadvantaged students. Those are students with
disabilities, those are black and brown students. We are just
trying to focus on the merit of this work and really having a
laser focus on the pursuit of academic excellence every single
day in our classrooms.
Mr. Owens. Okay. Ms. Roughton, I am impressed with the
evidence of the science of reading. What advice would you give
to teachers who want to teach reading effectively but are not
getting much support yet from their school leadership?
Ms. Roughton. Thank you for the question. I think the best
advice I could give teachers is lean on the evidence. I mean
the teacher is so powerful in his or her own classroom, and
there is a lot that we can do, even if an administrator or
district has not adopted the science of reading, to bring
structured literacy into our own practice.
Things like just focusing on phonics and letter sounds, and
if the teacher--teachers should feel confident to be advocates,
you know. We cannot argue the data, and I would encourage
teachers to invite principals into their own classroom, observe
a science and reading lesson, and just kind of use that as the
force to push this forward at their own site.
Mr. Owens. Thank you. Thank you for your innovation,
appreciate that. I yield back.
Chairman Kiley. Representative Adams of North Carolina is
recognized.
Ms. Adams. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank the
witnesses for being here today. Reading and math are the
foundations, and they open every other door. If a child cannot
read by third grade, their chances of graduating on time
plummet. If they cannot master basic pathway, a pathway into
today's workforce narrows.
I know this, not just from the research, but from more than
40 years in the classroom. I have seen students thrive when
they get the right support early. I have seen what happens when
they do not. The nation's report card shows sharp declines in
both reading and math, especially after the pandemic.
The students suffering most are the ones who were already
struggling, low-income students, English learners, and students
with disabilities. What makes this worse is that we know what
works. Teacher training, early intervention, high-quality
curriculum and strong public schools. Instead of investing in
what works, the Trump administration has cut it away, canceling
600 million dollars in teacher training grants.
Their new budget proposes eliminating training altogether.
You know, you cannot reclaim reading and math while cutting
teachers off at the knees. Teachers are not the problem.
Teachers are the solution, but they need tools, they need
training and the support to do their jobs.
Dr. Wingfield, welcome, and thank you for your testimony. I
grew up in Newark. I am very familiar with Rutgers, the State
university. I graduated from high school there at West Side.
First, as a former college professor myself, I know that
teachers are the heart of students' success, but I also know
that they cannot do it alone.
Can you tell us why teacher training is so integral to
helping students learn to read and to do math, and what impact
will eliminating Federal teaching training funds have on
classrooms and students?
Ms. Wingfield. Absolutely, thank you. The same way learning
to read does not come by osmosis, neither does learning to
teach children how to read. It is a process. It is very
structured. Again, I think we all agree that the science of
reading is a very valid practice, but it requires that you
learn it, again talking about language variations.
Us as the leaders or educators in those spaces also have
language variations, and so our goal is to teach young people
how to match sounds with letters, so that they could
potentially decode words on pieces of paper, but we need
explicit training to be able to do that.
Talking about literacy as a priority, and then turning
around and cutting the funding that supports it, undermines
that effort altogether because teachers need that explicit
training in the same ways as students need that explicit
instruction in order for it to be successful.
Ms. Adams. Thank you. It is kind of hypocritical too I
think but thank you. Let me turn to another point. The
administration says that it wants to prioritize evidence-based
literacy through discretionary funds, but at the same time it
has a cut or proposed eliminating comprehensive literacy
development grants and innovative approaches to literacy.
Programs that already help students and families every day.
Do you have concerns about cutting these existing literacy
programs, even as the administration claims, claims to support
evidence-based approaches?
Ms. Wingfield. Absolutely, it is very concerning. Again, we
have many vulnerable populations that will continue to suffer,
and not be able to advance and make any progress in their
literacy proficiency. That harms communities overall, it
impacts the well-being of communities as a whole when we do not
have the resources in place to be able to support students in
learning how to read.
That is--our demographics are also changing, so groups of
people who are acquiring English, you know, people who are
learning to read over time won't be able to make the economic
mobility that's needed to sustain healthy communities.
Ms. Adams. Okay, thank you. We also know that the gaps are
widest for students who are already behind, so Dr. Windfield,
how can the Federal Government best support schools in closing
these literacy and math gaps so that the children in poverty,
English learners and students with disabilities don't continue
to fall further behind?
Ms. Wingfield. Well, I would say stop cutting the funding
and freezing the funding that creates chaos within these
vulnerable communities who rely on every dollar to create
programming that addresses these issues with our young people
within our schools. It is also really important for IES to be
able to maintain its capacity, again, because a lot of the
research that comes out of IES, it forms the practices that are
happening within the schools.
We also use that data to have targeted programing for
students at need.
Ms. Adams. Thank you. Well said. I yield back, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman Kiley. Representative Miller of Illinois is
recognized.
Mrs. Miller. Thank you, Chairman Kiley, for hosting this
hearing, and for the witnesses for attending. I am a mom of 7,
grandma of 23, I started my career in public school. I am
deeply passionate that our children can learn basic skills and
learn to read. A child that cannot read has been damaged for
life.
I think that my friends on the other side are trying to
turn this into a discussion about race again. Reading and math
are foundational to childhood development; however, the United
States is facing an unprecedented crisis as large portions of
our population are functionally illiterate and cannot perform
basic arithmetic.
This is happening all over the country, all over Illinois,
but it is epidemic in Chicago where our brown and black
children live, and the schools are failing them, and we are
spending so much money. In fact, there is a school in Chicago
that spends $94,000 a year to educate the children, and not one
student is proficient in reading.
In 2024, only 30 percent of Illinois' fourth graders met or
exceeded reading proficiency. Also, in 2024, only 38 percent of
Illinois fourth graders met or exceeded math proficiency.
Illiteracy and inability to do arithmetic contribute to larger
problems, as children become teenagers and eventually adults.
In Illinois, high school dropouts are three and a half
times more likely to be arrested than high school graduates.
Millions of Americans cannot even perform basic tasks like
making a budget. Lack of reading and math proficiency puts
tremendous strain on the economy, as billions of dollars are
lost each year through decreased productivity and workforce
inefficiencies.
More than that, God created these individuals to be
productive with their life. Now, we have allowed them to be
damaged. They cannot read. I cannot imagine trying to get
through life not being able to read.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. will
need 1 million additional STEM professionally for the next
decade, but despite all this grim news, it is encouraging to
see states like Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, leading the
way in transforming their schools and climbing to the top tiers
in reading and math proficiency within a matter of years.
Dr. Brumley, in your written testimony you State that
children belong to parents, not the government, with which I
wholeheartedly agree. Could you talk more about the vital role
that parents play in their children's education, and what you
are specifically doing in Louisiana to make sure parents are
included?
Mr. Brumley. Yes, thank you so much. First and foremost, I
would say that we have an incredible opportunity before us
today to simply narrow the focus and teach kids to read and to
do math. You know, schools have been asked to do too much for
way too long. They have been asked to take the place of the
family, take the place of the church, take the place of the
hospital., take the place of the supermarket.
They were never ordained to do those things. Schools should
be focused on the pursuit of academy excellence with the kids
under their care every single day. One of our foundational
beliefs is to accelerate parental rights.
Anything that we can do to put parents in the driver seat,
whether that is choosing the school that makes the most sense,
whether that is making sure that they are making healthcare
decisions for their child, not the school
Whether that is making sure there is transparency in
curriculum. All of those things are very important, and they
have been welcomed by the parents in the State of Louisiana. We
have an opportunity before us today to make sure that states
across the country are being more welcoming to parents and
their schools.
Mrs. Miller. Absolutely. Ms. Roughton, it is refreshing to
see the science of reading standards returning to schools in
states like Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and the
results they are yielding. Are other states implementing these
standards, and are they seeing similar results?
Ms. Roughton. Thank you for your question. Yes. I am
confident, and the data tells us that more and more states are
adopting the science of reading, and the data is speaking those
stories and telling the truth of how effective it is. I can
speak about my home State, California, where we just recently
passed an assembly bill that had unanimous bipartisan support.
That was all focused on getting mandatory screeners for K2,
so we could assess students and provide early interventions. It
was about providing quality professional development to support
our teachers and getting evidence-based reading instructional
materials in our classrooms.
Mrs. Miller. I appreciate y'all's testimoneys. I think we
recognize that we have a problem that you are giving us
workable solutions. Thank you so much.
Chairman Kiley. Representative Hayes of Connecticut is
recognized.
Mrs. Hayes. Thank you. I first want to start by saying that
it is not the focus of democrats on this Committee to dismantle
the Department of Education. It is not the role of the Federal
Government to write curriculum or develop instructional
materials for the classroom. I do not think anyone would want
that.
Our role is to support State and local efforts in adapting
policies and laws that promote effective literacy practices.
Ultimately, states and local school districts are the ones that
determine how literacy programs are created and implemented,
not Congress, not this Committee, yet we are here.
I just want to mention that Mr. Brumley, you did reference
the NAEP's data, and Louisiana's progress, but I would
encourage everyone to disaggregate that data a little more, and
you will see that white students are the ones who experience
the largest gains, which demonstrates that access to these
opportunities still exist.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires that
states that receive Title IA funds to teach and assess reading
skills, language arts, mathematics and sciences for specific
grade levels. There are also other programs, such as Title II
teacher preparation that provide funding to help improve
student academic achievements in reading and writing.
This testimony from the witnesses is probably the best case
for funding Title I and II programs at the Department of
Education. ESSA does not dictate how subject matter should be
taught, but I can tell you as a classroom teacher, I know that
direct instruction is effective for foundational skills but not
for developing deeper conceptual knowledge.
Longterm and sustained Federal investments in our schools,
particularly in our teachers, is crucial to addressing the
learning gaps in this country. Teacher preparation, licensure
standards, professional development, and in service are all
critical to addressing the learning gaps in this country.
The actions of this administration do not focus on
literacy. The ongoing dismantling of the Department of
Education and efforts to defund K-12 education programs will
have a negative impact on the ability of schools to teach and
students to learn.
For example, the cancellation of 900 million dollars in
contracts at the Institution of Education Sciences, including
research on literacy, and the elimination of ESSA Title II
funding for teacher preparation will actively harm the
development and implementation of literacy programs.
Ms. Roughton, I am happy that my republican colleagues have
invited you here because every word of your testimony
illuminates the need for early childhood education, so that
students can learn letter recognition and letter sounds. All of
those things that are foundational for when they actually begin
kindergarten, so thank you for all of your words today.
Ms. Wingfield, Dr. Wingfield, I am sorry, my question is to
you. Can you speak to some of the best practices that State and
local school districts can use to achieve better literacy
outcomes, and how these evidence-based models are actually
working?
Ms. Wingfield. I would like to say again, I think that is
one point that many of us agree on. We, in fact, agree on the
science of reading. We agree that multitiered systems of
support actually work to support students. We believe that
within those tiers, that Tier 3, pulling students for greater
intervention when they demonstrate that they need more help is
always good practice.
Using data to inform your practice is always good practice.
What we have to be more careful about is looking at that data
in a more nuanced way. Not all students are experiencing
literacy and education in the same way, and how can we use that
data to better support or navigate instruction for those
students who are not experiencing it in a way that is allowing
them to be successful or proficient.
Mrs. Hayes. I want to thank you for your testimony today
because you have actually drawn into the fact that we rely on
these NAEP scores, which are federally funded. We can
disaggregate these scores to give us the information that we
need to pinpoint where the issues are and actually address them
for students. This is not a one size fits all approach.
We agree with that, and local districts should be able to
make those informed decisions and precisely hone in on the
students who need it most. That does not happen by defunding
the Federal agency that actually is there to support districts.
Dr. Brumley, you thanked the Trump administration for all of
your progress; however, you noted that this effort began 5
years ago.
Federal funding has helped with that, so 5 years ago the
Trump administration was not the administration who was in
charge. It was actually the Biden administration, and massive
investments into districts like yours, have definitely
benefited. Yes, we are not afraid of change. We are not afraid
of looking at the data and using it to inform our decision, but
we cannot ignore what the data tells us. Thank you, I yield
back.
Chairman Kiley. Representative Moylan of Guam is
recognized.
Mr. Moylan. Chairman Kiley, and Ranking Member Bonamici,
thank you for hosting today's important hearing on literacy and
numeracy. The nation's report card shows a decline in both
fourth and eighth grade reading and math scores. There is no
reason why in 2025 two thirds of our children should be failing
behind perhaps even worse, the long-term trend assessment shows
scores have been nearly flat since 1971.
The math just does not add up, and we need innovative--to
be innovative in our approach to education and support
students, educators, and families to achieve to the highest
possible level. Dr. Brumley, since implementing the Let
Teachers Teach Initiative, what worked best for improving
educational outcomes, and what could use improvement?
Mr. Brumley. Yes. Thank you so much. First of all, reliance
on D.C. is not going to flip the trajectory for educational
outcomes across this country. We need reform within the states.
That is what we have done. In terms of literacy, you know, we
banned three cuing, we trained all K through teachers across
the State on the science of reading.
We went into the colleges and worked there. We tutor all of
our kids needing support. We give screeners multiple times a
year. We do parent notifications, so then they know the status
of their kid's ability to read. We do third grade promotion
policies. We have taken a policy centric approach to making
things better in our State, and that is where the reforms have
to come from within the states.
What I would suggest to you is that our Let Teachers Teach
Initiative has been really important. From that information, we
have banned cell phones in all of our classrooms across the
State of Louisiana, which has been so impactful. We have taken
a stronger approach on making sure that schools are peaceful
and they are orderly so that teachers can teach free from
distraction and students can learn from distraction.
These changes have been overwhelmingly well received by
teachers in our State, and that is why we have cut teaching
vacancies by over 50 percent over the last few years. The
teacher is so fundamentally important, and I am not aware of
any teacher in the State of Louisiana that is relying on D.C.
for their training, for their curriculum, any of those things,
as has been mentioned earlier.
What we need to do is we need to as much as possible, block
grant, formula grant, directly to the states where State
leaders, moms and dads can make decisions alongside their
teachers on the best way to get better outcomes for kids
without additional bureaucracy here in D.C.
We know that employees at the Department of Education in
D.C., many of them have been removed, are no longer there. We
have not felt one single impact from that in the State of
Louisiana. We just need the funds to flow directly to us, so we
can make decisions in the best interests of our kids.
Mr. Moylan. Well said, sir. Thank you. Mr. Harrison,
congratulations on Saraland, that is excellent what is coming
around. What does Saraland do differently in its school
educator relationships that causes such a high performance
outcomes?
Mr. Harrison. I think when you look at the culture of what
we established at Saraland City Schools is primarily what's
turned, I guess for us. We take a teacher led process, in the
fact that any programs, any type of programs that we put in the
classroom we get our teacher leaders on board first, train
them, get them professional development, and then we go back
and do a whole professional development with our entire staff.
We have buy in from all of our teachers that way.
It is not something that is directed from the
administration. It is something that is led by our teachers,
and that is something I would say within the science of reading
and what we are doing in our math curriculum, our teachers are
the ones that wear the boots on the ground, so to speak,
getting the training, getting everybody behind the programs.
That is why I think a big reason why we have a lot of success
in English and math.
Mr. Moylan. One other thing, the education is fundamentally
a nonFederal issue when it comes to curriculum building. How
can the Federal Government empower districts to further enhance
literacy and numeracy rates?
Mr. Harrison. I think from a standpoint of trusting our
State leaders. You know, obviously, Governor Ivey, and our
Governor and our State Superintendent Eric Mackey, have done a
phenomenal job with directing the State of Alabama. Our NAEP
scores have jumped tremendously in the last several years.
Trusting in our elected folks and our appointed folks, I think
is pivotal, and again, I think we have got a great leadership
within the State of Alabama.
Mr. Moylan. Thank you to our witnesses. Mr. Chairman, I
yield back.
Chairman Kiley. Representative Mannion of New York is
recognized.
Mr. Mannion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, thank you to the
witnesses for participating here today, and joining this
important discussion. Reading and math skills are fundamental
in setting our students up for lifelong success, both in and
out of the classroom, to open doors for future generations,
improving proficiency and student achievement in these core
subjects should be a national priority.
As a former public school teacher of almost 30 years, and
someone who represented almost 400 teachers in a teacher's
association, and is the spouse of an elementary school teacher,
an early literacy expert, and instructional coach who develops
culturally responsive curriculum, I have seen firsthand how the
teaching profession has changed, and benefited from new,
evidence-based approaches, including the science of learning.
As I was the teacher association President in a school
district that implemented the science of reading, there was
great skepticism from many of the teachers that had taught
reading for a long period of time. It was implemented not
starting at the kindergarten level, but broad based all the way
across the board, and I can tell you that the teachers
experienced excessive--intensive, excuse me, training in
preparation for this implementation, and the success was
resounding, and the buy-in was massive.
Instructional--classroom instruction is just a part of the
equation, and for our country to truly raise the bar in reading
and math, our students need strong support systems. We need
intensive teacher training, and professional development. We
need high impact tutoring, mentoring, after school programs and
health and wellness support.
I have recently introduced into legislation a Teachers Are
Leaders Act, which will make sure that we do support our new
teachers, and we use our veteran teachers to help with their
professional development.
It is troubling to see what is happening in this
administration at a critical time in our country, that we are
creating a Federal voucher system that is going to divert
taxpayer money to private schools, terminating critical
education science research, withholding billions in funding for
our K to 12 schools, canceling Americorps grants that directly
support youth literacy, and one to one tutoring.
My question is for you, Dr. Wingfield. I appreciate your
written testimony discussing these Federal disruptions. Can you
expand on how these actions are expected to impact reading and
math skills for students with the greatest needs, including
students that live in impoverished communities, students with
disabilities or English language learners?
Ms. Wingfield. Yes. Thank you. I want to lead by saying
that our public schools are really anchors within our
community, and so that is beneficial to both the schools and
the community because it helps build those bridges, and the
educators within those school buildings have a better
understanding for the community in which they are working with.
With that being said, the fundings being cut--the funds
that are being cut directly impact the programming that assists
families with acquiring English, that assist the high-impact
tutoring that was offered during after school time, or Saturday
time, or summertime that really helped bring up those test
scores for a lot of our vulnerable communities after Covid.
You talked about teacher training, and teacher mentors. A
lot of preservice teachers, and novice teachers returning to
the field need that level of mentorship from advanced teachers
in order to make the appropriate choices and begin to learn how
to read that data that informs their practice as well.
After school programs, subsidies for families, or just
lunch aid for students, all impact the quality of learning for
students, and if those are cut then we will see a decline in
instruction because students do not have the stability of those
programming, or the additional resources that help them
progress through school.
Mr. Mannion. Thank you for that answer. As you pointed out
in your testimony previously, there are disparities in the NAEP
performance based on socioeconomic status. From your
perspective, how will the administration's actions, especially
impact students in high poverty, or under-resourced schools?
Ms. Wingfield. It will harm them further. Those vulnerable
communities, again, it has a lot to do with access and supports
in order to help create that stability, and additional
resources for learning, we will see greater harm done. It
creates unsafe environments.
Mr. Mannion. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Moylan
[presiding]. I now recognize Mr. Messmer from Indiana for 5
minutes.
Mr. Messmer. Thank you Chairman, and thank you to the
witnesses for being here today to share your expertise on how
we can get education back on track. Dr. Harrison, your home
schools' districts have seen an astounding comeback in State
and national rankings in recent years.
How do you use formative and summative assessment data to
recognize the improvements and learning metrics and tweak your
strategies based on what you see?
Mr. Harrison. For us, our formative and summative data is
pivotal in how we assess our students. We try to meet every
child where they are from an educational standpoint, so we take
that data and literally formulate educational plans for all of
our students depending on where they are with proficiency.
At our elementary level, our instructional partners, our
instructional coaches, as well as our literacy teachers will
pull students when they are deficient in reading, and provide
Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention for them on a daily basis, and
that also includes math as well once we get data back on our
students.
That is pivotal for us, and we believe in looking at data
day in and day out. That is probably the secret to what we do
is looking at our data from our students across the board
starting at kindergarten. We provide them with formative tests
to see where they are and all the way through high school.
It is something that we believe in. It is something that we
found a lot of success in for us because it is a road map. If
we do not know where they are we cannot tell--we cannot help
them get to where they are going.
Mr. Messmer. Excellent, thank you. Ms. Roughton, in your
testimony you shared steps the State and local government must
take to increase effectiveness of learning in schools. How can
we equip families with the resources they need to supplement
their child's learning?
Ms. Roughton. Thank you for your question. I could speak
for my home State, California, and the work that I do with
Luminous Minds that we focus on family engagement initiatives,
and a big part of that is just giving parents knowledge and
resources, and how they can better work with their children at
home.
I would like to recognize that the parent is a child's
first, best, and most important teacher, and one simple thing
that parents can do is just read to their children as much as
possible. There are many districts in California that are
partnering with local agencies that are bringing in family
literacy nights, parent workshops to teach parents about the
science of reading, and strategies that they can utilize at
home to help develop their child's literacy.
Mr. Messmer. Is California one of those states that is
transitioned to the science-based reading models?
Ms. Roughton. Yes. We are a little late in the game, but we
just recently had an assembly bill passed with bipartisan
support that is going to require evidence-based reading
instructional materials within the classroom. There is a big
emphasis on coaches and professional development training for
teachers and making sure that we properly assess our students.
Mr. Messmer. Thank you. Dr. Brumley, your State has also
greatly improved in the educational outcomes in the past couple
of years. In your opinion, how does removing Federal
bureaucracy and sending educational choice back to the states
help states like Louisiana in their mission to improve literacy
and numeracy?
Mr. Brumley. I am honored to tell Louisiana's historic
education progress. We have been long challenged educationally.
I am thankful to our Governor, Governor Landry, our
legislature, our State board, and then the educators across the
State that are doing amazing work.
My conversations with the Trump administration with
Secretary McMahon had been around increased flexibilities for
states to make decisions in the best interests of children
within their State. I appreciate education as a state's right
issue, and I think that individual states ought to be able to
make those decisions.
I have not suggested reduced funding. I have not suggested
removal of any law, such as IDEA, or discrimination laws. We
are just saying less bureaucracy, less strings attached,
further empowering states to work with teachers and moms and
dads, and we can continue to see results improve in the State
of Louisiana, and that is what I am here to ask for today.
Mr. Messmer. Thank you, Dr. Brumley. I honestly appreciate
that you have focused so much on getting science of reading
into classrooms. How do you convince skeptical veteran teachers
that the science of reading is rooted in evidence and not just
a passing gimmick?
Mr. Brumley. Well, the results speak for themselves. For us
to go from 50th in the country for fourth grade reading in 2019
to number 16 today, it did not happen by chance. It happened
becausea set of policies were put into play, and the teachers
across our State, and the leaders across our State absorbed it,
and they said we can do this. We want to address this reading
crisis together, and that is what we have done. We are taking
on math.
We believe that every kid is a math kid in the State of
Louisiana, and we are going to make sure those outcomes for
math mirror those for literacy.
Mr. Messmer. Okay, thank you. Thank you for your answers,
and I yield back the remainder of my time.
Mr. Moylan. I now recognize Mr. Harris from North Carolina
for 5 minutes.
Mr. Harris. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks to all of
you on the panel for your incredible expertise, and testimoneys
today. You have given us some guidance, and leadership. I
wanted to just ask you a couple of questions really. Parental
engagement is an important factor that I think we've heard
discussed here today, and Dr. Brumley, I noticed in your
testimony that I enjoyed reading, said that parents, and this
is a quote, ``Parents send their children to school expecting
strong instruction in reading, math, science, and history, not
indoctrination in divisive issues.''
I think you are spot on. I agree 100 percent. Across the
country we have seen parents that have become outraged in a lot
of places at the ridiculous indoctrination that is happening in
many of the schools. I guess my question to you is how do you
keep political indoctrination out of your State, and how do you
keep classrooms focused on learning the essential math and
reading skills?
Mr. Brumley. We do everything within our power to keep the
main thing the main thing. Whether we are having conversations
with teachers or school boards, or the legislature, or
advocates, it is about how can we together pursue academic
excellence in these key content areas.
When I talk to moms and dads, they want to make sure when
their kid goes to school, they are safe every day. They are
taken care of. They want to make sure they are learning how to
read, do math, understand the history of their country, and the
civics that underpin that. They are not interested in chasing
all these extraneous issues.
They just want to make sure their kids get a good, high-
quality education. The school does not have to be fancy. The
curriculum does not have to be fancy. Parents just want
teachers and schools that care for their kids, understand that
the kid belongs to the parent, not the school.
They want them taken care of it, and they want to make sure
they get a high quality education every day.
Mr. Harris. Fair enough. Well, along those same lines,
parents are essential partners in a child's education and can
be a great asset to improving their child's literacy and
numeracy. What steps has your State taken to empower the
parents to help their children improve in reading and math
outside of the classroom?
Mr. Brumley. Well, one of the things that we have done is
we have made sure that parents are well informed of their
child's progress. We provide screeners and those results are
shared with parents around reading, around math. We have
provided voucher programs for parents, so that they can provide
their kids with private tutors after school and on the
weekends.
We have increased access to curriculum, so parents can
understand what is happening in the school. One of the most
important things that has been so well received by our parents
in the State of Louisiana, is making sure that parents
understand that they are in charge of health-related issues
with their child.
The child is not going to the hospital when they go to the
school. They are going to an academic institution, and parents
are making those decisions.
Mr. Harris. All right. Very good. Thank you. Ms. Roughton,
let me just talk to you for a moment about the comments that
you made, which have been excellent. My daughter is a first-
grade teacher, and the science of reading is very important to
her, as well as my wife is an eighth-grade American history
teacher.
Education is a big part in our household. Too often we hear
about lowering standards in the name of equity, and I want to
ask you do you agree that raising expectations and pursuing
excellence in math and reading is the real path to opportunity
for every child, regardless of background?
Ms. Roughton. Yes. Thank you for your question. I
absolutely believe in high expectations for all students. We
should be teaching our children using age appropriate, high-
quality resources in the classroom, and in my work in the
primary space, that is extremely important. We never want to be
dumbing down our instructional practices.
We want to maintain the belief that every child can and
will succeed, and rise to expectations with rigorous
curriculum, given the proper instruction in the classroom.
Mr. Harris. Well, as you have said in your testimony, and I
quote, ``Literacy is the foundation of opportunity, equity and
civic participation.'' States and teachers I think should
support learning methods that will push all of our students to
do their best, not lowering states because others cannot keep
up, so I do appreciate the testimony, and all of you again for
your time, and what you have been willing to share today.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Mr. Kiley. The Representative of the reigning member of the
Full Committee, Representative Scott of Virginia is recognized.
Mr. Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the
witnesses for being with us today. I noticed we have a State
Superintendent and a Local Superintendent, and I would ask them
that the Every Student Succeeds Act requires an identification
of achievement gaps, and a plan to eliminate those achievement
gaps. Can you say what is going on in Louisiana and Saraland to
comply with those requirements?
Mr. Brumley. Thank you for the question. We are most
interested in every student in our State getting an outstanding
education. I think No. 1, it comes with making sure that every
student has access to high quality teachers, so many of our
initiatives around cutting vacancies have been really
impactful.
Next, making sure that local systems are delivering on
high-quality instructional materials for students is really
important. The other piece I think, or two pieces that I think
work hand in hand, one is a school and system level
accountability, making sure that systems and schools are doing
the job that they are tasked to do, and providing the public
with an honest look at school quality. I think that is
important.
Then finally, another piece that matters a lot is tutoring.
What we have done in our State is made sure that every student
who is not yet proficient in an academic content area,
particularly in elementary, receive that additional support
during the day, but also parents have the opportunity to
utilize voucher programs in the evenings and in the weekends to
get additional support beyond the school day.
I think we have a pretty robust approach to this, and I
think our results will continue to improve.
Mr. Scott. Thank you.
Dr. Harrison.
Mr. Harrison. Yes. At a local level with what we do,
obviously we give all of our students formative tests to see
where they are. From that test and that data, we are able to
design Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction to bring them up to the
level of what their peers are. From that point we coordinate
with our teachers to ensure that they are receiving the
scaffolds that they need, so they are not getting left behind
with Tier 1 instruction.
There is a very coordinated effort with our teachers at all
of our schools. We also provide tutoring after school at all of
our schools at different levels, at different times, depending
on subject area. We try to provide our students with as many
opportunities outsides of the school day as well as take care
of them during the school day with the Tier 2 and Tier 3
instruction.
Mr. Scott. While I have got you, Dr. Harrison, the American
Rescue Plan had money to address lost learning due to Covid.
What did you do with the money, and did it make a difference?
Mr. Harrison. For us, with a lot of the money we received
from the Covid relief, we were able to shift some of the things
we were paying for, whether it be personnel, and/or medical
equipment, things of that nature. We were able to provide more
professional development to our teachers through that funding.
Mr. Scott. Did it make a difference?
Mr. Harrison. Yes, sir.
Mr. Scott. Thank you. Dr. Wingfield, you mentioned equity,
does that require lowering standards?
Ms. Wingfield. No. Equity does not require lowering
standards, and we should always have high expectations for our
students of all backgrounds. What is important to note is that
equity requires us finding the appropriate entry point to best
support that student to bring them to the level of proficiency.
Mr. Scott. Thank you. Does research suggest that some
children may or may not respond to one reading instruction
technique better than others?
Ms. Wingfield. Yes. Sometimes we have to use different
techniques to support different kinds of learners.
Mr. Scott. Ms. Roughton, did you find the same thing, same
kind of research that some students respond to different
techniques and strategies for teaching?
Ms. Roughton. Yes. I mean definitely every child learns in
unique and different ways, but when we are talking about
literacy, the science of reading was very clear that this was
the most successful practice for all children. That was our
children that were at risk. That was our children with learning
differences and special needs.
That was the same story for our proficient or advanced
children.
Mr. Scott. Thank you. Dr. Wingfield, can you talk about the
importance of disaggregated data to properly understand what is
actually happening?
Ms. Wingfield. Absolutely. I think throughout this entire
testimony we talked a lot about growth in school districts, but
when you look at the data you will see that gaps between white
students and black students are large, specifically in
Louisiana. I believe this past year's fourth grade data had a
32-point difference. What we that indicates to us is that there
is something happening where it is not accessible to those same
students, and it does not require again to dumb down our
curriculum.
It requires that you find the appropriate entry point to
bring all students to proficiency. I think too, just very
quickly, it is very also important to follow that data for
students with disabilities as well. While the science of
reading works for all students, I genuinely believe that. It
does not show up or look the same in every classroom setting,
again, because of cultural racial linguistic differences, and
so how can we address those?
Mr. Scott. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I would ask the
witnesses to provide us with any research we actually ought to
be reviewing. We have talked about science and things like
that. What rather than give opinions, if you could provide us
with research we ought to be reviewing, I think it would help
us to make decisions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much to all our witnesses. I
will now recognize the Ranking Member for closing remarks.
Ms. Bonamici. Well, thank you very much Mr. Chairman, and
thank you for your testimony and your expertise, all of the
witnesses. I agree with Representative Hayes, who was a
National Teacher of the Year, that you played a great case for
funding Title I, Title II, Institute of Education Sciences. You
know, public education in this country has been chronically
underfunded for decades, and too many students are suffering
because of it.
Even though local and State governments are primarily
responsible for school funding, the Federal Government has a
very important role to play in closing opportunity gaps.
Instead of making these critical investments in public
education, the Trump administration is threatening to dismantle
the Department of Education, closing the doors of opportunity
for scores of our Nation's students, and that is a tremendous
loss of potential.
I note that those who say ``well, we support Title I, IDEA,
and these other programs, the Department of Education monitors
and enforces those programs, and operates them.'' Without the
Department of Education, we do not know what will happen to
them.
The administration and republicans are touting voucher
schemes as a solution, but as Dr. Wingfield testified, vouchers
take much needed funding from public schools and give it to
wealthy families to subsidize sending their kids to private
schools. Plenty of evidence shows that vouchers do not improve
the academic outcomes.
They allow a few students to slip out, but they leave poor
and rural students to inferior resources and fewer
opportunities. They lack transparency and accountability, and
they are a misuse of taxpayer dollars. I will note that the
majority points to declining NAEP scores as the reason for
including, excuse me, increasing private voucher schemes and
predatory school choice initiatives, but they have yet to
produce any test scores that prove that students who attend
private schools are outperforming public school students.
In fact, in Louisiana, voucher students at private schools
are performing worse on State tests than their peers in public
schools. That is according to the Times Picayune and the New
Orleans Advocate. They reported that in 2023 only 14 percent of
voucher students in grades 3 through 8 met State achievement
goals, compared with 23 percent of low-income students at
public schools.
I would like to enter that into the record, that article,
Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kiley. Without objection.
[The information of Ms. Bonamici follows:]
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Ms. Bonamici. According to Education Choice in the 2025
ranking, Florida and Arizona ranked number 1 and 2 when it
comes to using public funds to bolster private school choice
schemes, but this approach has consequences. The NAEP scores
revealed that both Florida and Arizona fell below the national
average in eighth grade math and reading.
Additionally, I would also like to enter into the record a
report released yesterday by the Education Policy Analysis
Archives at Arizona State University that comprehensively
reviewed State voucher laws since 1869.
That report concluded comprehensively that school vouchers
have failed students, families and our Nation, draining public
school funding, and exacerbating inequities without improving
our Nation's education system, and I would also like to
introduce that into the record.
Chairman Kiley. Without objection.
[The information of Ms. Bonamici follows:]
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Ms. Bonamici. Thank you. Dr. Brumley claimed that yes, your
State was not affected by cuts to Federal funding. A recent
article in KPEL Lafayette News revealed that a superintendent
was discussing finding the challenges of the Federal funding
freeze, and said it really caught them off guard, and I would
like to introduce that into the record as well.
Chairman Kiley. Without objection.
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Ms. Bonamici. Thank you. You know the American public
school education system faces challenges no doubt, but with 90
percent of our students enrolled, it will always be the
foundation on which to build our Nation's future. We need these
long-term investments, and the research to get students on
track to success, but also ready for the future.
We looked at the proliferation, for example, of artificial
intelligence in schools, and the workforce. That means we need
to instill creative critical thinking as Representative Burgess
mentioned. It is important to educate critical thinkers. Years
of research shows that students who have arts education do
better in other academic subjects and are more likely to stay
in school.
For those of you who want to see academic achievement and
improvement, I invite you to join on my bipartisan Arts
Education for All Bill. When we think about NAEP scores, those
are test scores. Keep in mind there is a mental health crisis
in our Nation's schools.
A North Carolina publication recently revealed that nearly
1 in 5 adolescents in North Carolina suffered from depression,
and 1 in 10 of the high school students there reported
attempting suicide. Colleagues, this is a serious issue we
should be grappling with as well.
Also, Dr. Brumley, you said parents want their kids to be
safe. Absolutely they do. After the school shooting at St.
Helena High School in Greensburg, Louisiana, a high school
student said my generation is being forced to normalize living
and learning in constant fear of gunfire ringing out in our
schools.
Students who are worried about being gunned down in their
classroom are in survival mode, they are not focused on getting
good test scores. Students who live in fear of ICE raids, as
Representative Lee mentioned, coming into their school and
taking their classmates.
They will have trouble focusing on learning, reading and
math. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I hope we can work together to fix
our crumbling school buildings, so that every child, regardless
of their background or their income, can learn in a place that
reinforces to them that they have a bright future.
Thank you, I look forward to continuing the conversation on
these important issues, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Chairman Kiley. Thank you very much. I want to say thank
you again to our truly outstanding witnesses. I think this was
a very important hearing, and I want to also thank members on
both sides for the thoughtful questions, while we might not
agree on every issue, there seems to be quite a bit of
agreement that the reading wars are over, that we need to
return to teaching foundational literacy and foundational
numeracy.
I think we have three takeaways from today's hearing. No. 1
is the stakes. We heard from Ms. Roughton that two thirds of
kids are not reading at proficiency right now. We also heard
from Dr. Wingfield, that if you do not read at a proficient
level by third grade that you are four times more likely to
drop out of high school.
The second takeaway is the science. Ms. Roughton said, ``We
know what works, but it just has not been fully implemented
across the country.'' Dr. Brumley in Louisiana is calling this
a back-to-basics approach that involves building foundational
literacy and numeracy skills.
Dr. Harrison, in his district in Alabama, has stressed the
importance of making data base decisions. I think you said that
you eat, sleep and breath data when it comes to how to best
assist students.
Then a third takeaway is the path forward because we have
seen from the record of our witnesses today that we really can
be phenomenal results when these things are taught in the right
way, so Dr. Brumley's State of Louisiana has moved from 50th to
16th in literacy in a relatively short amount of time.
In Dr. Harrison's district in Alabama, 257 out of 262 third
graders actually met proficiency levels, which is you know,
miles ahead of the national average. It is my hope that the
work that you have done, and the work that Ms. Roughton's group
is doing at schools across California and across the country,
as you have shared today, can serve as an inspiration to school
leaders and policymakers throughout the country.
That young people can learn the skills they need early on
to go from learning to read to reading to learn an can learn
the foundational math skills that are necessary for the
workplace, and to navigate a complex world. If we can do that,
then we can reverse our Nation's educational decline. We can
help millions of kids have better lives, and our country will
be a lot better off for it.
Without objection, there being no further business, the
Committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 12:01 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
[Additional submissions from Representative Lee follows:]
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