Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has signed a new bipartisan law aimed at fundamentally improving reading and writing instruction in the early grades. Under the law, all public schools, including charter schools, must choose literacy curricula for kindergarten through 4th grade that align with scientific research on how children learn to read when purchasing or updating materials starting September 2027. This approach is known as "structured literacy."
The law was adopted in response to troubling statistics: fewer than half of Washington's third-graders read at grade level last school year, indicating readiness for further learning without additional support. Lawmakers hope to replicate the successes seen in states such as Mississippi and Louisiana, where similar reforms have already yielded results.
The new law specifies that curricula must cover key components of literacy: language comprehension, reading and writing fluency, phonics, spelling, phonological awareness, vocabulary, and oral language development. Materials must be "multisensory," culturally responsive, and include methods to identify students who are struggling.
Importantly, the law does not require an immediate replacement of all textbooks. Schools are required to apply the new standards only at their next scheduled curriculum adoption, beginning in 2027. Thus, the transition to evidence-based programs will occur gradually across districts according to their own timelines and budgets. This decentralized governance system, in which the state is divided into about 300 independent districts, allows each to adapt changes to its needs. Each district is governed by an elected school board and has its own budget, funded through state allocations and local taxes.
In addition to instructional materials, the law mandates updates to teacher professional standards and university preparation programs. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the state agency responsible for overseeing the public school system, is tasked with developing specific guidance for educators and parents on working with dyslexia and creating a professional development program for elementary teachers. OSPI, led by an elected superintendent, is also responsible for distributing funding, setting educational standards, and administering testing.
However, as noted by the bill’s chief sponsor, Democrat Jerry Pollet, a member of the Washington State House of Representatives from a Seattle district, some effective measures were left out of the law due to budget constraints. As a legislator involved in education issues in the partisan state legislature, he said the law does not include funding to hire school reading coaches or for large-scale teacher professional development programs that have proven effective in other states.
Pollet acknowledged that the law is only a first, albeit crucial, step. He said that building a truly strong system for teaching reading will require significant investment in ongoing training and support for teachers, from early grades through high school — funding that is not currently available.
