Louisiana Governor Edwards Signs Big and Bold Early Literacy Legislation

Governor Jeb Bush, Founder and Chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), released the following statement on the signing of comprehensive early literacy legislation in Louisiana. The suite of bills (Senate Bills 222 and 216 and House Bill 85) received unanimous support in both chambers. 

“The ability to read opens doors and opportunities for all children. Today, Louisiana is taking a bold step toward helping every student unlock their God-given abilities by enacting policies that prioritize literacy for all students. 

“In an increasingly polarized environment, it’s promising to see Louisiana lawmakers work across the aisle to put policy before politics and champion this important issue on behalf of students. 

“I applaud Governor Edwards, Senator Sharon Hewitt, Senator Robert Mills, Representative Scott McKnight and the Louisiana Legislature for their unwavering commitment to ensuring Louisiana’s students are prepared to succeed in school and the workforce.” 

These new laws will help Louisiana’s children by putting proven policies into action by:  

• Creating an early literacy screener to identify students with potential reading difficulties.  
• Supporting teachers with early literacy training based in the science of reading to effectively teach foundational reading skills to students. This also includes K-3 teachers who teach math, science or social studies.  
• Requiring parent notification for K-3 students identified with a reading difficulty. 
• Requiring that individual reading plans be developed with parents/guardians that prescribe research-based reading interventions and ways parents can help their children at home.  
• Supporting struggling readers with Reading Scholarship Accounts, a type of education savings account that can be used to pay for tuition and fees related to part-time tutoring, summer and after-school literacy programs, instructional materials and more.  
• Requiring foundational literacy skills standards in all educator preparation programs of all candidates seeking certification to teach students in kindergarten through third grade.