Act 20

This past legislative session, I authored a bipartisan transformational literacy reform bill that is aimed at improving declining reading scores by shifting to a phonics-driven approach known as the Science of Reading. The bill, now known as Act 20, is a groundbreaking bipartisan accomplishment that sends a clear message to Wisconsin families that the status quo in education is no longer acceptable.

We are in a literacy crisis in this state. When I began working on Act 20, roughly 67% of Wisconsin fourth graders were unable to read at grade level. Our state has the largest racial disparities when it comes to reading scores, ranking dead last in the country when it comes to reading achievement among black students.

We know that by third grade, students go from learning to read to reading to learn. Studies show that students who are below grade level in reading by the time they leave third grade are far more likely to drop out and have a higher likelihood of being incarcerated in their adult life. For decades, we have been teaching kids to read using methods that are not rooted in science. Act 20 will change that.

Our bill will once again make phonics the central focus of reading instruction. We made meaningful investments in proven and quality curriculum, which drew praise from national reading groups. The bill makes early screening a priority, helping us spot struggling readers early on so we can give them rigorous and individualized reading plans to help get them caught up. 

I am proud of the work that we have done, and that we will continue to do, to help improve reading scores in Wisconsin and give today’s generation a better future.

Read more about the Science of Reading

Groundbreaking Early Literacy Reforms Become Law