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119-s-5659119th CongressWALLET

Literacy Improvement for Transformation Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Introduced

Summary

Ensure every elementary and secondary school has at least one full-time certified reading or literacy specialist. It would authorize the Secretary of Education to create a competitive grant program that provides five-year awards to states, districts, Tribal schools, nonprofits with structured literacy expertise, and colleges to recruit, hire, train, and retain reading specialists and to target early K-3 intervention.

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  • Students and families: Focuses support on early reading and identification of dyslexia and other learning differences, with applicants required to report student data by 504 plan status, IEPs, NAEP reading proficiency, and relevant diagnoses.
  • Schools and districts: Funds hiring and conversion of part-time specialists to full-time and supports retention through higher pay and professional development. Recipients must ensure each school served has at least one full-time specialist and that those specialists spend at least 80% of their time on literacy work.
  • Educators and specialists: Pays for pathways to evidence-based certification from accredited institutions and ongoing training in structured literacy approaches.
  • Tribal schools and languages: Makes Bureau of Indian Education schools and Tribally controlled schools eligible and includes a rule protecting the preservation and use of Native American languages.
  • Program targeting and accountability: Grants are competitive, give priority to states in the lower half of NAEP reading performance and to applications focused on elementary schools or high-need districts, and require a needs assessment plus annual progress reports.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Grants to fund school reading specialists

If enacted, the bill would create a competitive grant program to help states and local school agencies hire and keep full‑time certified reading or literacy specialists. Grants would last five years and could pay for recruiting, hiring, higher salaries, certification, and professional development. Applicants would need a needs assessment and student data (including students with 504 plans, IEPs, or diagnosed learning disabilities) and must submit yearly reports on staffing and progress. Grants would prioritize low‑performing States, then plans focused mainly on elementary schools, and then high‑need local agencies; any specialist funded by the grant would spend at least 80% of their time on literacy work.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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