HARRISBURG, PA – June 12, 2024 – Senator Lisa M. Boscola (D-Northampton) joined colleagues from both sides of the aisle today on the Senate floor to pass Senate Bill 801 in a near unanimous vote. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster), amends the Public School Code to require the use of structured literacy in PA’s schools. The bill comes as Pennsylvania’s young students struggle to read at grade-level.
“Learning to read is a fundamental part of a child’s education, and unfortunately, recent studies show children in Pennsylvania struggle with literacy,” Boscola said. “Teaching literacy is a core responsibility of our public schools – if we fail our students at a young age, the ramifications will be felt throughout their lives.”
Structured literacy programs take a scientific approach towards reading, breaking down and teaching literacy in each of its essential parts. This approach has found success in districts such as Bethlehem Area SD, where literacy scores jumped significantly after the implementation of a structured literacy and reading program.
Beyond requiring the use of structured literacy, the bill requires three literacy screenings per school year for kindergarten through third grade. “We need to stay on top of every child’s progress – it’s unacceptable for anyone to slip through the cracks,” Boscola noted. “This bill takes a big step forward in ensuring all Pennsylvanians learn basic literacy.
Senate Bill 801 passed 48-1 and now advances to the House of Representatives for consideration.
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