Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) Literacy is a cornerstone for personal growth, economic opportunity, and a strong society. (2) The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress reported that— (A) only 35 percent of the 8th grade class of 2024 were proficient in reading; and (B) one-third of 8th graders performed below the National Assessment of Educational Progress basic level, the highest percentage ever recorded. (3) The National Assessment of Educational Progress provides the only nationally representative, independent measure of student achievement over time, offering critical data on the readiness of United States students to compete in the global economy. (4) The 2023 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies estimates that 28 percent of adults in the United States perform at the lowest proficiency level of literacy, meaning they have substantial difficulty with everyday reading tasks. (5) Illiteracy costs taxpayers $224,000,000,000 annually and costs United States companies nearly $40,000,000,000 annually. (6) The interdisciplinary body of research known as the science of reading demonstrates the effectiveness of structured, evidence-based literacy instruction. (7) Federal literacy programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (29 U.S.C. 3271 et seq.), and the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9101 et seq.) provide important foundations, but are insufficient to address the scale of the crisis. (8) The United States is in the midst of a national literacy crisis, requiring strong Federal leadership in partnership with State educational agencies and local educational agencies to ensure that all students have the foundational literacy skills to thrive.