Pennsylvania Mandated Structured Literacy Curriculum in 2025
New state requirements for reading curricula and screening take effect for Pennsylvania families by the 2027-28 school year.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Primary Education
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Act 47 of 2025 mandates that all Pennsylvania school districts adopt evidence-based reading curricula and implement universal literacy screening for students in kindergarten through third grade. These measures represent a shift toward structured literacy instruction to address declines in state performance.
Why it matters
This law responds to a drop in English Language Arts proficiency, which fell from an average of 60.8% between 2015 and 2019 to 53.1% between 2021 and 2025. By standardizing literacy instruction, the state aims to identify and address student deficiencies earlier through consistent, research-backed programs.
Pennsylvania student proficiency scores in English Language Arts averaged 53.1% from 2021 to 2025, compared to 60.8% in the 2015 to 2019 period. The new state law mandates three annual reading screeners for K-3 students starting in the 2027-28 school year.
The players
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The state legislative body that passed the 2025 school code and mandated new reading curriculum standards.
The details
Under Act 47 of 2025, districts must shift toward a structured literacy approach defined by interdisciplinary research on how children acquire reading skills. Schools will utilize universal screeners three times per year to detect learning gaps, with identified students then moved into specific intervention programs. Additionally, all incumbent teachers are required to complete structured literacy training to meet the new certification standards by the 2028-29 school year.
Timeline
Average literacy proficiency was 60.8 percent from 2015-2019.
Average literacy proficiency fell to 53.1 percent from 2021-2025.
Reading specialists in Wilkes-Barre completed training in May 2024.
Districts must adopt curricula and screeners by the 2027-28 school year.
Incumbent teachers must complete training by the 2028-29 school year.
The Home Front
Act 47 of 2025 mandates a statewide shift toward structured literacy to combat declining English Language Arts proficiency across Pennsylvania. This policy updates existing educational standards to ensure consistency in how reading is taught in every local district.
Families with students in kindergarten through third grade should expect to see new, consistent reading screening results coming home starting in the 2027-28 school year. Parents can ask their local district representatives how their specific school plans to align its current curriculum with these state-mandated science-of-reading standards.
The takeaway
The move toward structured literacy signifies a state-level commitment to improving foundational reading skills through data-driven intervention. Parents should monitor their child's school district communications to understand how the new screening process will inform the academic support provided in the classroom.
Further reading
For more on state standards for young learners, read our guide to Primary Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hazleton Standard Speaker.
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