The Vermont Agency of Education released its first-year implementation report on Read Vermont as the program faces an uncertain future in the General Assembly.

Read Vermont is the state's flagship literacy initiative, which the Agency launched in 2024 to strengthen literacy instruction by providing training in the science of reading. The program mirrors a strategy credited with historic turnarounds in literacy nationwide but may need to be scaled back after the General Assembly declined to fund Read Vermont in its first draft of the FY27 budget.

"The Governor's request to fund Read Vermont represents Vermont's first targeted state investment in literacy since the passage of Act 139 of 2024," said Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders. "This investment, which does not require new spending, is an important first step in regaining Vermont's national leadership in literacy. A budget is an expression of priorities, and I look forward to working with the legislature to prioritize supporting educators in teaching every child in Vermont how to read."

Read Vermont has been the Agency's coordinated implementation strategy for Act 139 of 2024. The law sought to fundamentally reshape how teachers deliver literacy instruction but did not include dedicated funding for the Agency to implement the law. The Agency initially relied on federal dollars to launch Read Vermont, but this funding has been interrupted due to shifting funding priorities and will run out at the end of the fiscal year.

In January, Governor Phil Scott requested a reversion and reappropriation of $700,000 to fund Read Vermont, allowing the Agency flexibility to use previously appropriated funds instead of requesting new dollars. Although the Agency and the Scott Administration have advocated for this funding to support literacy throughout the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers have so far declined to fund Read Vermont. Late last month, the House and the Senate each passed a $9.4 billion FY27 budget that does not include funding for literacy. A final FY27 budget will be determined in a conference committee later this month and the Agency is hopeful this funding will be included.

The report and the Agency's efforts to secure funding come at a pivotal moment for literacy in Vermont. 2024 results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show only 31% of Vermont fourth graders and 29% of eighth graders achieved reading proficiency. Among economically disadvantaged students in Vermont, only 18% of fourth graders and 17% of eighth graders achieved reading proficiency. For the first time, Vermont fell below the national average in literacy.

"Evidence from the science of reading research continues to emphasize the importance of systematic, explicit and strategic instructional practices in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension," said Lori Dolezal, Curriculum and Instruction Director at the Agency of Education. "Read Vermont is our ongoing, comprehensive, data-driven approach to improving teaching, learning, and student outcomes, using theories and practices from the science of reading literature."

The report demonstrates how, since 2024, the Agency and districts have accelerated collective efforts to strengthen literacy instruction. The report outlines early signs of success and progress across four strategic priorities that must be sustained in order to advance the goals of Act 139:

1. Building a Statewide Literacy Coalition
   The Agency has:

• Convened hundreds of educators statewide for professional learning
• Trained over 30 members of its staff in the science of reading
• Worked in collaboration with Vermont's Advisory Council on Literacy to advance statewide goals

1. Early Identification and Data Use
   Universal screening is now common practice, and the resulting data are helping schools intervene earlier and more effectively. 92% of responding schools use early reading screeners, and 89% use Agency-recommended or adequate tools. Screening data show:

• 42% of K-3 students performed below proficiency
• 35% met proficiency
• 23% performed above proficiency

1. Ensuring Evidence-Based Instruction
   The report identifies variability in instructional materials across schools, underscoring the need for high-quality, research-aligned curricula. The Agency is developing detailed guidance and implementation supports to promote consistent, high-quality literacy instruction statewide.
2. Educator and Leadership Excellence
   The Read Vermont Institute launched alongside a 2024-2025 workshop series completed by more than 800 educators.

To continue building on this progress, the Agency has identified four immediate actions:

• Strengthen universal screening and intervention expectations, including annual reporting and the use of screening data to drive timely intervention;
• Partner with the Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators (VSBPE) to establish a certification in evidence-based foundational literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading, with all K-3 educators and administrators responsible for literacy instruction required to hold this certification by 2030;
• Issue criteria for high-quality instructional materials in Summer 2026; and
• Contingent on funding, expand coaching and training opportunities to strengthen statewide implementation.

Act 139 set ambitious literacy expectations without dedicated state funding. The Agency has achieved first-year implementation by leveraging limited Agency resources, but sustaining and scaling this work requires a dedicated state commitment to continue first-year implementation and build infrastructure for measurable progress. While the Agency has requested $700,000 to sustain current efforts, scaling Read Vermont to match the impact of historic turnarounds in literacy nationwide will require further investment. The Agency will continue to pursue the resources necessary to achieve our vision of every child reading proficiently by third grade.

The full Read Vermont Report is available on the Agency's website.