Pennsylvania made history. Now we need to continue to fund it.
Pennsylvania made history with the bipartisan passage of Act 47 — a landmark commitment to evidence-based reading instruction grounded in the science of reading. Last year, lawmakers backed that commitment with $10 million in funding. That's real progress, and it deserves recognition.
But we can't make this a one-time appropriation.&nbsp;
Pennsylvania is still in a literacy crisis. Just 67% of fourth graders read proficiently. 
70% of likely voters say literacy should be a top state priority. And nearly 80 cross-sector organizations from across the Commonwealth — spanning urban and rural communities, business and labor, educators and parents — have all looked at the same data and arrived at the same conclusion: Pennsylvania's children deserve quality instruction grounded in the science of reading. The FY26–27 budget must continue this momentum through sustained investment. 
We're calling on legislators to protect, maintain, and expand Act 47 funding — from $10 million to $15 million in FY26–27. This investment would fund educator training, evidence-aligned curriculum, literacy coaching, and universal screening so every district can implement Act 47 as intended.
As budget conversations accelerate, legislators need to hear from you. Send a letter urging your state representative and state senator to champion $15 million for literacy in the FY26–27 budget.
👉 Add your voice. Send a message to your legislator.

Delivering on Pennsylvania's Promise to Teach Every Child to Read

I'm writing as a constituent to thank you for your role in passing Act 47 and for the $10 million appropriation that accompanied it last year. That bipartisan commitment to evidence-based reading instruction was a genuine milestone — and I'm grateful for your leadership in making it happen.

Now I'm asking you to build on it.

Pennsylvania still faces a serious literacy crisis. According to the Nation's Report Card, only 33% of our fourth graders read proficiently — with even lower outcomes for Black, Latino, and low-income students. Act 47 gives us the roadmap. But without sustained funding, it risks becoming an unfunded mandate rather than the catalyst for change our kids deserve.

The Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition — nearly 80 organizational members strong, representing urban and rural communities, business, labor, and education — is calling for $15 million in FY26–27 to implement Act 47 statewide. This investment would fund:

→ Educator training and coaching — job-embedded professional development so teachers can deliver science-based reading instruction
→ Evidence-aligned curriculum — high-quality K–3 instructional materials proven to work
→ Literacy coaching — certified coaches and regional consortiums, especially for smaller districts
→ Universal screening — tools to identify struggling readers early and intervene quickly

This is not a new idea or an untested approach.70% of likely voters say literacy should be a top state priority (Bipartisan Policy Center, 2025). States that have made this investment — Mississippi, Louisiana, and others — have seen dramatic gains. Pennsylvania has laid the policy groundwork. The FY26–27 budget is the moment to match that commitment with resources.

I respectfully ask that you champion $15 million for literacy implementation as budget negotiations move forward. The Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition will provide data, talking points, and constituent stories to support you every step of the way.

Pennsylvania's children are counting on us to follow through.

Sincerely,