S. 5659 — Literacy Improvement for Transformation Act of 2026

This section defines terms used in the Act, including elementary and secondary schools, evidence-based practices, local and State educational agencies, institutions of higher education, children with disabilities, individualized education programs, specific learning disabilities, eligible entities, high-need local educational agencies, licensed professionals, reading or literacy specialists, section 504 plans, and the Secretary of Education.

This section states the purpose of the Act is to assist State educational agencies and local educational agencies with ensuring every elementary school and secondary school has at least one full-time certified reading or literacy specialist on staff and with supporting the recruitment, hiring, retention, and development of such specialists.

This section establishes a 5-year competitive grant program under which the Secretary awards funds to eligible entities to recruit, hire, develop, and retain full-time reading and literacy specialists in elementary and secondary schools. It requires grant applications to include needs assessments focused on specialist shortages and disaggregated student performance data for those with IEPs, 504 plans, or diagnoses of dyslexia and related disabilities, and directs the Secretary to prioritize awards to states in the lowest half of National Assessment of Educational Progress reading proficiency rankings, followed by elementary-focused proposals and high-need local educational agencies.