Improving literacy programs. Students can only move up the education ladder once they learn to read. I introduced the bipartisan READ Act to support states and school districts that invest in evidence-based literacy education for students with learning disabilities.
Support evidence-based literacy education programs.
Occurrences
Reverse declining student reading scores by investing in literacy programs with proven results
Prioritize literacy, critical thinking and civics education.
Evidence
Under the Education issue page, Houlahan lists a priority to “reverse declining student reading scores by investing in literacy programs with proven results.”
Her biography says she served in Teach for America and then “led and scaled a nonprofit helping thousands of underserved students all across America build their literacy skills.”
Houlahan introduced the bipartisan READ Act and said supporting “science-based instruction” is one of her top priorities; the release also describes Pennsylvania’s early literacy pilot as using evidence-based screening, instruction, and intervention.
The release says she introduced an amendment to preserve funding for the Department of Education’s Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants and described early literacy intervention and teacher training in evidence-based reading instructional strategies.
The office highlighted federal support for an adult literacy provider that offers programs helping adults read and write proficiently, prepare for work, and succeed on the job.
Assessments
The promise is to support evidence-based literacy education programs, not necessarily to enact a specific nationwide result. The record shows Houlahan both publicly prioritized investing in literacy programs with proven results and took concrete official actions consistent with that pledge while in office. She introduced the bipartisan READ Act emphasizing science-based instruction, advocated evidence-based screening, instruction, and intervention, and offered an amendment to preserve funding for Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants tied to evidence-based reading strategies and teacher training. Additional office activity highlighting federal literacy funding further supports that she acted on the promise. Because the claim is framed as support and the evidence shows clear legislative and appropriations advocacy during her term, this is delivered in the same term.