{"id":155969,"date":"2026-04-03T03:19:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/155969\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T03:19:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:19:08","slug":"in-2025-pa-changed-how-it-taught-reading-its-bill-sponsor-says-that-was-just-the-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/155969\/","title":{"rendered":"In 2025, PA changed how it taught reading. Its bill sponsor says that was just the start"},"content":{"rendered":"

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HARRISBURG- After years of work by PA State Rep. Jason Ortitay, Pennsylvania passed a major law in 2025 to change how kids are taught to read. Now he plans to introduce legislation to fund it without raising taxes or putting more pressure on the state\u2019s General Fund.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo many, passing the law felt like solving a problem, but it did not,\u201d Ortitay said. \u201cImplementation is what solves the problem. Schools were told to change curriculum, buy new reading screeners, train teachers and put intervention programs in place. Those are real upfront costs, and we never paid for that part. If the state is serious about fixing reading, it has to be serious about funding the transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ortitay added it starts by looking at early literacy differently.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to stop thinking about this like it\u2019s just another expense,\u201d Ortitay said. \u201cThis is an investment, and it\u2019s one of the few investments government makes that actually pays us back. Kids who can read become workers who can work, taxpayers who pay taxes, and citizens who don\u2019t need as many government services later in life. If we get reading right early, we save money later, and a lot of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ortitay\u2019s plan is a two-part funding package designed to cover the one-time transition costs schools face as they move to structured literacy, new curriculum, early screening and teacher training.<\/p>\n

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Part One: Get Schools the Money They Need Now<\/p>\n

The first part of the plan would move $50 million in unspent, uncommitted funds into a restricted Early Literacy Implementation Fund so schools can begin making the transition immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is money that is sitting there uncommitted,\u201d Ortitay said. \u201cWe can use it right now to help schools start implementing the new law. This gets help to schools now, not three years from now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part Two: Pay for the Rest Over Time Like We Do for Economic Development<\/p>\n

The second part of the plan, called the Keystone Literacy Investment Act, uses a financing model similar to what Pennsylvania already uses to invest in economic development projects.<\/p>\n

The program would allow the state to raise the remaining money needed now and spread the cost over future years in a controlled, capped and temporary way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe use this exact financing tool to invest in businesses and economic development,\u201d Ortitay said. \u201cI\u2019m saying we should use the same tool to invest in making sure kids can read. Because if you want a strong economy in 10 years, it starts with whether kids can read today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Funds Locked for Reading<\/p>\n

Money from the plan could only be used for:
\u2022 Evidence-based reading curriculum.
\u2022 Early reading screeners and diagnostic tools.
\u2022 Programs to help struggling readers.
\u2022 Teacher training in structured literacy.
\u2022 Literacy coaching and implementation support.<\/p>\n

Funds could not be used for general school expenses, construction or administrative overhead.<\/p>\n

The Urgency<\/p>\n

Ortitay said the timing matters because schools are being required to make changes now.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe clock is already ticking,\u201d Ortitay said. \u201cSchools are being told to change how they teach reading right now. The worst thing we could do is pass a big reform, pat ourselves on the back and then not give schools the tools to actually make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finishing the Job<\/p>\n

Ortitay said the plan is about following through on a promise the state already made.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe already decided to fix how kids learn to read,\u201d Ortitay said. \u201cThat was the hard part. What this plan does is simple \u2013 it gives schools the resources to implement the new literacy law; it spreads the cost out over time so we don\u2019t blow up the budget; and it makes sure the money can only be used for reading.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe told schools to fix reading,\u201d Ortitay added. \u201cThis plan gives them the resources to do it. That\u2019s what finishing the job looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n

The legislation will be introduced in the coming weeks.\n<\/p>\n

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