Literacy/Dyslexia Coalition

Since 2018, The Reading Center has worked with a coalition of like-minded organizations in Minnesota to influence public policy decisions at the state legislature.

Coalition Members

What is in the READ Act?

• New state literacy goal: have every child reading at grade level, every year from K-12

• Mandated teacher training in Science of Reading - courses approved by MN Department of Education (MDE)

• Mandated screening and progress monitoring - tool approved by MDE

• Districts must use evidence-based curriculum

• Money available to districts to purchase evidence-based curriculum from approved MDE list

Prior Legislative victories

2021 Legislative WINS

The state of Minnesota approved a $3 million grant to the Minnesota Department of Education to fund teacher training in the LETRS program (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling).

We supported this comprehensive teacher professional development course because it gives educators a good grounding in the science of reading and emphasizes the importance of structured, systematic, explicit reading instruction. There are dyslexic and struggling readers in every classroom in Minnesota. The tools learned through this training are invaluable to all educators in Minnesota.

2019 LEGISLATIVE WINS

1. Mandatory dyslexia screening (PASSED!)

2. Higher Education / Teacher Training requirements to include dyslexia (PASSED!)