A new literacy law can change the rules. But can it change what happens in a classroom?
That's the bigger question behind the READ Act, bipartisan federal legislation designed to strengthen reading instruction through the Science of Reading.
At our latest Lunch & Learn, we invited Lori Masseur, Early Learning Director at Read On Arizona, to help us make sense of the legislation and share what Arizona has learned from more than a decade of putting literacy policy into practice.
Watch the full conversation below, or keep reading for a few key takeaways.
A good law is a starting point. Not a finish line.
Arizona has had Science of Reading legislation on the books since 2014. But passing a law didn't magically transform reading instruction.
As Lori reminded us:
"Just because we had legislation since 2014 on the science of reading did not mean that implementation was or continues to go smoothly."
That's an important distinction as Congress considers the READ Act.
The legislation would update the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program, which helps states improve literacy from birth through high school. Among its priorities are evidence-based reading instruction, stronger teacher preparation, and better support for students who struggle.
But passing a law is one thing. Putting it into practice is another.
Want better reading instruction? Invest in teachers.
We ask a lot of teachers. But are we truly giving them what they need to succeed?
Arizona has made teacher preparation a major part of its literacy strategy. Teacher preparation programs were required to incorporate six credit hours in the Science of Reading by 2025. And current K–5 teachers have until 2028 to complete 90 hours of training toward a literacy endorsement.
That's a lot to ask of people who already give so much.
Changing how we teach reading means asking educators to learn new approaches, rethink familiar practices, and sometimes let go of things they've spent years doing. That's hard work. And it deserves more than another mandate.
Arizona recognized that. So the state also worked to remove barriers, including paying for some training, exams, and endorsement fees, and allowing training hours to count toward teacher recertification. The state also worked directly with universities to improve how future teachers learn to teach reading.
Lori emphasized the importance of making these changes with educators, not to them.
And to the teachers doing this work every day, learning, adapting, and showing up for our kids, thank you. You deserve the tools, time, trust, and support to succeed.
The secret ingredient to solving the literacy crisis? There isn't one.
Lori shared a story about her grandmother's chocolate chip cookies. Like any good family recipe, the magic wasn't in one ingredient. It was in how everything came together.
Teaching kids to read isn't so different.
You need well-prepared teachers, strong classroom materials, early screening to spot reading challenges, and extra support when children need it. And of course a family's love. Each ingredient matters. But none can do the job alone.
Lori explained:
"Those pieces used individually, we're probably not going to see the same level of impact. Those pieces used collectively is where you're going to see that impact."
Literacy is everyone's business.
Arizona's statewide literacy strategy wasn't developed behind closed doors. It grew out of 18 months of work with partners across the state, using lessons from earlier literacy investments to shape a broader plan.
And Lori was clear about why that matters.
"It is not the sole responsibility of the State Department of Education, it's not the sole responsibility of school districts, of teachers, of families, of community partners."
For Read by 4th, this is an idea we hold dear and repeat often: Everyone has a role to play in raising strong readers.
Teachers teach. Families encourage. Community leaders connect. Policymakers make decisions that shape what's possible.
We don't all have the same job, but we're stronger when we work together.
So, what comes next?
The READ Act could help strengthen literacy instruction across the country. But Arizona's experience reminds us that the real work begins after a policy is written.
How do we better prepare teachers? How do we turn research into classroom practice? How do we build the relationships that help good ideas take root? And how do we know if our efforts are actually helping children become stronger readers?
These are questions worth asking again and again and again, in Philly and beyond. And we hope you’ll keep asking them with us.
