Who decides how kids learn to read? Congress aims to end the debate

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed the Science of Reading Act, a measure designed to steer federal funding toward states and school districts that adopt research-based reading instruction methods. The bill represents a congressional effort to impose national standards on how children are taught to read, a domain traditionally controlled by individual states and local school boards. Proponents argue the legislation addresses persistent literacy gaps by incentivizing evidence-based approaches, while critics worry it could diminish local autonomy over curriculum decisions. The move reflects a broader tension between federal oversight and local control in American education policy. The bill now faces consideration in the full House.