119-HR-7890 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary: Science of Reading Act of 2026 (H.R. 7890)

Headline Summary: A bipartisan House bill would prioritize federal literacy funding for evidence-based “science of reading” approaches and bar programs that rely on three‑cueing from qualifying for those dollars.

What It Does: The bill updates federal literacy provisions to define “science of reading” (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing) and to exclude “three‑cueing” (having children guess words mainly from pictures, context, or sentence structure) from what counts as comprehensive literacy instruction. States and school districts seeking literacy grants would be prioritized if their plans align with this evidence-based approach. It clarifies that nothing in the bill overrides IDEA, Section 504, or the ADA, and it does not let the federal government mandate specific curricula or standards. The changes would apply to funds awarded after enactment.

• Rep. Erin Houchin (R–IN), Rep. John Mannion (D–NY), and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R–CA) introduced the bill, signaling bipartisan interest in pushing evidence‑based reading instruction.
• Supporters argue that directing funds toward structured, research‑grounded teaching can improve early reading, especially for students who struggle to decode words or who have dyslexia.
• Backers also say excluding three‑cueing reduces reliance on guessing strategies and encourages explicit, systematic instruction.

Who’s For It:

• Sponsors: Rep. Erin Houchin (R–IN), Rep. John Mannion (D–NY), Rep. Kevin Kiley (R–CA).
• Likely supporters: advocates of evidence‑based literacy and structured phonics approaches; some parent and dyslexia groups who favor explicit decoding instruction.

Who’s Against It:

• Likely opponents or skeptics: educators or groups who prefer balanced‑literacy or three‑cueing strategies and worry the bill could limit instructional flexibility.
• Some may also raise concerns about federal strings attached to grants, even though the bill states it does not mandate curricula.

What’s Next: As of March 12, 2026, H.R. 7890 was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The committee may hold hearings or a markup. If it advances, the bill would go to a House floor vote, then to the Senate, and finally require the President’s signature to become law.