Historic $90 Million Literacy Legislation Passes in Minnesota After a Decade of Advocacy

May 24, 2023

Gov. Walz Signs The Read Act Into Law

ST. PAUL, Minn. – – Minnesota school children and teachers are the winners today after Gov. Tim Walz signs into law The Read Act, as part of the larger ‘One Minnesota’ budget, and appropriates $90 million to make it happen. This historic legislation and funding provide educators and districts statewide with professional development, coaching and support, and curriculum opportunities aligned with reading science.

For decades, reading proficiency has been at a crisis level in our state because classroom instruction and teacher training hasn’t aligned with the way science tells us brains learn to read. Standardized test scores have consistently indicated nearly half of Minnesota students are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade.

After ten years of small, yet significant, gains in dyslexia and literacy legislation, the governor, a bold group of legislators, and a coalition of literacy advocates dared to dream big this year. Gov. Walz, with his Bold Literacy Plan, and Rep. Heather Edelson and Sen. Erin Maye Quade, with The Read Act, courageously outlined a seismic shift in reading instruction for our state. The combined and newly-passed legislation, now referred to as The Read Act, provides teacher training, literacy lead support, and new curriculum opportunities in line with evidence-based reading practices. This legislation lays the groundwork for school districts to drastically improve literacy rates across Minnesota, while also appropriating significant funding and support for teachers and districts.

This historic literacy legislation is a major accomplishment led by Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota (DDMN) and a coalition of like-minded people and organizations including the International Dyslexia Association–Upper Midwest Branch, The Reading Center, Groves Learning Organization, and many parent advocates. This legislation is the culmination of a decade-worth of educating, advocating, and empowering this community and its members.

DDMN was founded in 2013 by a few concerned parents turned advocates, which put Minnesota on the map of a national movement to improve literacy outcomes. At its inception, DDMN was exclusively focused on supporting children with dyslexia and their families. Students with dyslexia were struggling to learn to read in classrooms across Minnesota and most teachers were not aware of how to help these struggling readers. Over time, it became evident these students were simply an indicator of more significant instructional concerns.

“Our students with dyslexia were the proverbial ‘canaries in the coalmine,’ signaling us to a larger issue,” explains Rachel Berger, founding member of DDMN. “Educational environments were struggling with literacy instruction, and we were called to action on behalf of ALL students.”

The journey began when Berger reached out to, then senator, Roger Chamberlain as a constituent and asked for support. He soon became a vocal and steadfast agent-of-change for reading instruction and dyslexia legislation. DDMN has been proud to affect change in the following ways:

  • In 2014, the state legislature passes a tax credit for parents who must step outside the school system to pay for private reading instruction for their students with dyslexia.
  • In 2015, through grassroots advocacy and under the leadership of Sen. Chamberlain, a definition for dyslexia is added to state statute, enabling educators, students, and parents to freely use the term.
  • In 2016, additional language is passed to identify students with reading difficulties and provide them alternate instruction that is multisensory, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and explicit.
  • In 2017, Sen. Chamberlain becomes a champion for DDMN, making their priorities his top priority. DDMN passes a bill to hire the first dyslexia specialist within the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). The dyslexia specialist will guide school districts and educators on identifying, accommodating, and supporting students struggling with characteristics of dyslexia, or a diagnosis of dyslexia.
  • In 2018, DDMN broadens its grassroots impact and forms a coalition with other like-minded organizations including Groves Academy, The Reading Center in Rochester, and The International Dyslexia Association-Upper Midwest Branch. DDMN continues to build relationships with community members and organizations including Education Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota School Boards Association, and other interested groups to increase impact and support at the legislature.
  • In 2019, DDMN and its coalition pass two bills. One bill requires all higher-education institutions to begin instructing their teacher-prep candidates on dyslexia. The other bill requires screening for K-2 students not reading at grade level, and students in grade 3 or higher who demonstrate a reading difficulty.
  • In 2020, language is passed to expand and clarify those students who must be screened and identified by schools districts and reported to MDE.
  • In 2021, DDMN and its coalition passes a $3 million grant for teacher training. This enables the first cohort of 2,500 educators across the state to become trained in the science of reading.
  • In 2023, DDMN and its coalition broadens its partnership with additional organizations including Ed Allies, Great MN Schools, MPS Academics Advocacy Group, National Parents Union, and ServeMinnesota, to band together and bring forth state-changing policy called The Read Act.

While the legislative gains spearheaded by Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota have been strategic and significant steppingstones, the timing was right for more sweeping change because low literacy rates continue to be an issue in Minnesota. When children struggle to learn to read, their ability to make gains in all other subject areas are thwarted. Difficulties with learning to read very often lead to self-esteem and mental health issues. Experts acknowledge low literacy skills have a direct correlation to a child’s involvement in the juvenile justice system. The Read Act is acknowledgment that reading instruction MUST change for Minnesota students. It aims to improve outcomes for all students, recognizing literacy has been privatized and often students of color and those on free/reduced school lunch have been especially underserved. The Read Act will enable school districts to train and support teachers, update curriculum, address inequities, and improve reading outcomes for all Minnesota students.

Additional Literacy and Dyslexia Information:

Details of The Read Act:

The Read Act tackles Minnesota’s low literacy rates with a three-pronged approach including funding for teacher training, literacy leads and coaching, and curriculum opportunities.

  1. Teacher Training: funds have been appropriated so that beginning July 1, 2024, each district must provide teachers with training on evidence-based reading instruction approved by MDE. Training is for all K-12 intervention teachers, pre-K-3 classroom teachers, special education teachers, curriculum directors, instructional support staff who provide reading instruction, and employees who select literacy instructional materials for a district. This training will include phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy.
  2. Literacy Lead/Literacy Specialist: funds are available for school districts to employ or contract with a literacy lead and they must do so by August 30, 2025. The Department of Education must also employ a literacy specialist to provide support to districts implementing The Read Act.
  3. Curriculum Opportunities: Beginning July 1, 2023, when a district purchases new literacy curriculum, or literacy intervention, or supplementary materials, the district must use evidence-based curriculum and intervention materials at each grade level. Funds are available to support these new curriculum opportunities.

Beginning July 1, 2023, for two years, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) at the University of Minnesota will partner to support the implementation of The Read Act. As part of their joint charge, they will identify curricula, supporting materials, and intervention materials for school districts that are evidence-based or focused on structured literacy. They will identify professional development programs that focus on the five pillars of literacy and the components of structured literacy. They will also develop an evidence-based literacy lead training program that trains literacy specialists throughout Minnesota. Additionally, they will provide guidance to districts about best practices in literacy instruction, as well as initiatives that are not best practices or not evidence based.

Important Literacy Facts:

  • Dyslexia is a condition of neurodevelopmental origin that mainly affects the ease with which a person reads, writes, and spells. One in five people have dyslexia.
  • The science of reading is an extensive body of research and evidence, over multiple decades, that proves how the brain learns to read.
  • The process of reading is the same for everyone – no matter your color, disability, socioeconomic status, or motivation.
  • Research indicates 95% or more of students can learn to read proficiently.
  • Nearly 50% of Minnesota students cannot read at grade level by the end of third grade.
  • Just three in 10 Minnesota students of color can read at grade level by the end of third grade.
  • Only 29% of third graders on free or reduced lunch can read at grade level.
  • Just two in 10 Minnesota students receiving special education services get the instruction they need to be proficient readers.
  • Students who are not reading proficiently by fourth grade have a less than 75% chance of ever catching up.

Supporting Organizations include: 

Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota, International Dyslexia Association–Upper Midwest Branch, The Reading Center/Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota, Groves Learning Organization, EdAllies, Great MN Schools, MPS Academics Advocacy Group, National Parents Union, ServeMinnesota

About Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota:

The vision of Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota (DDMN) is for students to have equitable literacy instruction that meets their educational needs so they can reach their full potential. The mission of DDMN is to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children, and improve resources for students with dyslexia in Minnesota’s educational environments until all can read. DDMN strives to educate, advocate, and empower the community. https://decodingdyslexiamn.org/