Structured Literacy FAQs

The law requires any individual whose role is included within the definition of educator and is responsible for providing or supervising reading instruction, intervention or coaching to complete professional development from the list developed by PDE.

This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Elementary teacher; 
• School reading specialist; 
• Reading interventionist; 
• English as a second language teacher; 
• Special education teacher; 
• Literacy coach; 
• Principal; or 
• Chief school administrator. 

School entities must adopt evidence-based reading curriculum materials for kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 by the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year.

School entities must adopt evidence-based reading instruction curriculum and materials no later than the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year. The law does not require LEAs to select the evidence-based reading instruction curriculum material from PDE’s published list. PDE has published a list and additional resources on the Department’s Structured Literacy webpage.

The terms curriculum and curriculum materials are not interchangeable. Curriculum refers to the broader instructional plan (i.e., standards, goals, learning progressions, and the intentional design of what students should learn and why). Curriculum materials are the tools used to enact that plan, such as textbooks, teacher guides, assessments, digital resources, and supplemental supports.

Each student enrolled in kindergarten through third grade must be assessed using a universal reading screener three times per school year starting with the 2027-2028 school year. School entities must use a universal reading screener chosen from PDE’s forthcoming list of approved screeners.

Students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities, and gifted students are subject to the requirements of this section unless the assessment would conflict with the educational program, plan, or service agreement provided in accordance with federal or state law or regulation.

Each student enrolled in kindergarten through third grade must be assessed using a reading universal screener three times per school year starting with the 2027-2028 school year:

• Once at the beginning of the school year;
• Once during the middle of the year; and
• Once at the end of the school year.

School entities may determine when the screenings occur within these timeframes.

The overall approach is focused on early identification and timely intervention for struggling readers. While screening is not required upon enrollment, early screening is recommended to ensure timely support if a reading deficiency is identified. Therefore, students should be screened as soon as reasonably possible after enrollment, so that the school entity can determine whether the student needs additional support or a reading intervention plan. Screening only at fixed windows after new students arrive could delay the identification of a reading deficiency and delay required interventions.

Yes. Reading intervention plans are required only for students in kindergarten through grade 3. The statute does not mandate reading intervention plans for students in grades 4 and above, though schools may choose to continue those supports locally.

The law does not set a specific timeframe. However, reading intervention planning should occur promptly after identification to allow timely intervention and progress monitoring.

A reading intervention plan must be developed by an educator and must include, at minimum, the specific reading intervention approaches that will be provided in addition to core instruction in the general education setting, as well as the evidence-based curriculum materials that will be used.

The IMPACT framework provides a structure for ensuring these components are consistently addressed:

• Individualized
• Monitored
• Proven (evidence-based)
• Actionable
• Communicated to parents
• Tied to data

Local policies should specify reasonable timelines so that communications and intervention planning occur without undue delay.

Best practice is to share all kindergarten screening data with parents. Because early-year results may reflect a student’s limited instructional exposure, school entities may choose to wait until the student is screened again later in the school year to formally identify a kindergarten student as “at risk”. However, families should still have access to the information collected.

Screening results should be communicated clearly and with appropriate context so parents understand that early data is a starting point for instruction and support, not a final determination.

Parent notification should occur reasonably soon after a reading deficiency is identified, ideally within a set number of school days that the school entity adopts in policy.

Because the statute does not prescribe a specific timeline, school entities should adopt local procedures that define when progress updates are communicated.

Parent notification is required to be provided in writing or electronically.

A school entity must notify:

• The parent of a kindergarten student who exhibits a reading deficiency on the third screening at the end of the school year; and
• The parent of a student in grades 1–3 who is identified as having a reading deficiency during the school year.
• For students in grades 1–3, the law also requires progress updates three times per year.

Best practices for implementation:
In addition to the required written or electronic notification, school entities are encouraged to:

• Offer opportunities to discuss the screening results and intervention plans with families (e.g., conferences, phone calls, or virtual meetings);
• Provide clear, family-friendly explanations of the student’s reading needs;
• Share how progress will be monitored and how families can support reading at home; and
• Maintain documentation of communication so it is accessible for parents and staff.

These documents are considered part of a student’s official educational record and should be retained as such.

Beginning July 31, 2027, and by each July 31 thereafter, school entities must report annually to PDE:

• The evidence-based reading instruction curricula adopted by the school entity as required by Act 47 of 2025;
• The number of educators who have received professional development from PDE’s approved list; and
• The type of professional development the educators received.

Beginning July 31, 2028, and by each July 31 thereafter, school entities must report annually to PDE the following data, disaggregated by grade (kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3) and by individual school:

• Beginning-of-year screening (first screening of school year)
  • Number and percentage of students identified with a reading deficiency
  • Literacy intervention approaches provided
• End-of-year screening (final screening of the school year)
  • Number and percentage of students identified with a reading deficiency
• Assessment exceptions
  • Number of students that were not assessed because they are exempt, as permitted by law*
• Additional Information
  • Any other information deemed necessary by the Secretary of Education to carry out the provisions of the law and assess effectiveness over time.

Students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities and gifted students are subject to the requirements of required screening, unless the screening would conflict with the educational program, plan or service agreement provided in accordance with federal or state law and regulation.

Each school entity is required to submit the mandatory survey. For the purposes of structured literacy, a school entity is defined as a school district, intermediate unit, area career and technical school, charter school, cyber charter school or regional charter school regardless of the grade levels they serve.

The survey should be submitted by the school entity’s chief school administrator or their designee.

High PSSA scores are a positive indicator, but they don’t capture the full picture of students’ reading development. Structured literacy supports all learners—not only those who struggle—and ensures that instruction is aligned with the research on how the brain learns to read. Even in higher performing schools, some students will have gaps in decoding, fluency, or vocabulary that are not visible in aggregate test results.

Structured literacy strengthens instruction by:

• Providing consistent, evidence-based practices across classrooms and grade levels.
• Supporting students who perform well on assessments but still rely on inefficient reading habits.
• Helping multilingual learners and students with disabilities access grade‑level content.
• Ensuring early identification and support for students who may not yet show difficulties on standardized tests.

Because the PSSA is an English Language Arts assessment—not a diagnostic reading test—it cannot show whether students have mastered the underlying skills of reading, such as decoding, fluency, and language comprehension.

Act 47 of 2025 sets statewide expectations to ensure that every student—regardless of school, district, or zip code—receives instruction aligned with the science of reading. The goal is not to fix something that is “broken,” but to ensure equity, consistency, and long-term outcomes across Pennsylvania.

For the purposes of structured literacy, CTCs are included in the definition of school entity. As such, several structured literacy requirements apply.

First, CTCs will be required to complete the mandatory survey and should respond as accurately as possible based on their unique instructional models and staffing structures. The same expectation will apply to future reporting requirements.

Second, while many structured literacy requirements and resources focus on grades K–3 instruction, the professional development provisions extend beyond those grades. Act 47 of 2025 includes training expectations for educators who hold specific certifications and who provide or supervise reading instruction. This professional development component may apply to some CTC educators.

A structured literacy program in a CTC would focus on explicit instruction in decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension embedded within career and technical education coursework. It would provide targeted support for students who need continued skill development while integrating literacy routines into technical content. The goal is to ensure students can access complex texts, safety materials, and industry-specific language essential for their programs.

Structured Literacy requirements apply to school districts, intermediate units, area career and technical schools, charter schools, cyber charter schools and regional charter schools regardless of the grade levels these school entities serve.

While many structured literacy requirements and resources focus on grades K–3, the professional development provisions extend beyond those grades. Act 47 includes training expectations for educators who hold specific certifications and who provide or supervise reading instruction.

Secondary educators should be attentive to structured literacy because many adolescents continue to have gaps in foundational reading skills, and explicit, systematic instruction helps them access the increasingly complex texts required across all content areas. 

PDE offers a range of resources—including professional learning modules, guidance documents, and literacy frameworks—to support secondary teachers in integrating these practices into their classrooms.

Act 135

Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards Aligned System - SAS

Although structured literacy is not required at the secondary level, schools are strongly encouraged to implement evidence-based  reading instruction and may use the resources developed by PDE to support this work.

Yes. Supplementary materials may be used to enhance or strengthen a core curriculum program. When they align with evidence‑based practices and are used to reinforce—not replace—the core curriculum, these materials can support a comprehensive literacy program.

A student in kindergarten through grade 3 shall be identified as having a reading deficiency if an approved universal reading screener indicates that the student is at risk for reading failure.

School entities may choose to delay identifying a kindergarten student as having a reading deficiency until the third screening window (end-of-year) to allow the student sufficient instructional exposure.

Students in grades 1 through 3 should be identified through the universal reading screener and, when appropriate, through additional diagnostic assessments.

Note: School entities are not prohibited from identifying a student in higher grade levels as needing reading interventions.

PDE’s approach to equity within structured literacy centers on ensuring that students of color, English Learners, and students with disabilities receive instruction that is explicit, systematic, and grounded in how all brains learn to read.

Structured literacy is designed to reduce long‑standing disparities by making the components of language transparent and teachable, which is especially important for students who have historically been underserved.

All K-3 students, including students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities, and gifted students, must be screened unless the assessment would conflict with the educational program, plan or service agreement provided in accordance with federal or state law or regulation.

Yes. If a student has an IEP, but the IEP does not address reading needs through a goal or specially designed instruction (SDI), the student may have both an IEP and reading intervention plan.

If a student has an IEP that addresses reading needs through a goal or SDI, the IEP may serve as the reading intervention plan.

No. An approved universal reading screener is not an evaluation for eligibility for special education and related services.