Bipartisan literacy bill backed by Sen. Ted Cruz aims to improve reading skills nationwide

TEXAS (KAUZ) - Concerns over declining literacy rates have prompted a bipartisan group of lawmakers to push a new proposal aimed at improving reading instruction in classrooms across the country.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz are leading efforts behind the Improving America’s Literacy Act, which would provide federal funding to states and schools to strengthen reading programs, support struggling students, and provide additional training and resources for educators.

Cruz says the legislation focuses on science-based approaches to reading instruction, including methods backed by research.

“Education is what opens up the American dream, and so I’m passionate about education for the kids of Texas and kids all across America. And the first foundational building block for education is reading. And that’s why we ought to be doing what works and working to ensure that every kid in Texas can read and can read well,” Cruz said.

Supporters of the bill say it would encourage schools to use evidence-based teaching methods and ensure federal resources are directed toward programs shown to improve student outcomes.

Cruz said the proposal is designed to move away from approaches he believes have not produced results and instead focus on methods supported by research.

“That existing funding stream is there, but it’s not going to be directed at programs that don’t produce results and that are based on, frankly, woke teaching ideologies that have proven to be a failure, that have hurt our kids,” Cruz said. “It gets us back to what we know works. And if you want to teach reading, phonics is what works, and the data show that. And so federal funds should follow what the data and evidence show.”

The legislation still faces several steps before it could become law. Cruz said the next step is building additional bipartisan support before moving the bill through the legislative process.

“It’s just the beginning, so we’ve introduced the legislation. The next step is building a broader coalition. And both Brian and I are working to get additional Republicans and Democrats to sponsor the legislation, then to move forward, hopefully to get it marked up in committee, to pass it through the Senate, and ultimately to get the House to pass it and the president sign it,” Cruz said.

Lawmakers are expected to consider whether to advance the Improving America’s Literacy Act out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on July 30. If approved, the bill would move to the full Senate for further consideration.