West Chester Area School District must adopt an evidence-based reading curriculum by the 2027-28 school year under Pennsylvania law. A federal push announced Tuesday, Sept. 15, directing more than $400 million toward literacy instruction could help pay for it.

The U.S. Department of Education said Tuesday it will prioritize the Science of Reading, a research-backed approach to teaching children how to read, across its grant programs, teacher preparation partnerships and technical assistance. Education Secretary Linda McMahon framed the effort as part of the administration's goal to give states more control over education spending.

The department cited national assessments showing nearly 70% of fourth- and eighth-grade students are not reading at a proficient level.

The money spans several programs. The department awarded $256 million in continuation grants to 24 states through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development program. Whether Pennsylvania received a share has not been confirmed. Another $70 million in Teacher Quality Partnership grants and $90 million in Supporting Effective Educator Development grants are expected in the weeks following the announcement. Four Innovative Approaches to Literacy grants totaling more than $16 million were also awarded the week of Sept. 15.

WCASD already screens early readers using the Acadience assessment system in grades K-3 three times a year, according to the district's assessment page. The district's school board approved a roughly $345 million general fund budget for 2026-27 that included a $450,000 increase for instructional books, supplies and materials supporting curriculum updates.

Whether the district plans to pursue any of the new federal grant streams is unclear. No public statement from WCASD leadership has addressed the announcement or the district's plans for meeting the state's curriculum mandate.

Pennsylvania faces its own deadline pressure. State lawmakers require districts to screen K-3 students at least three times annually and provide extra instruction for those below grade level, according to WESA. Pennsylvania students remain about half a year behind pre-pandemic learning levels in reading, and only a third of the state's fourth graders scored proficient on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress.

West Chester University, one of Pennsylvania's four largest teacher preparation programs, received an F in a June 2026 report by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) evaluating how well colleges align training with the Science of Reading. Nancy Gainer, a university spokesperson, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the school disagrees with the group's methods. She noted West Chester complied with a data request in 2023 and received a B but did not receive or supply information for the 2026 review.

Ron Noble, NCTQ's director of teacher preparation, called Pennsylvania "among the lowest-performing states" in the analysis. Of 23 programs evaluated statewide, five received A's and five received F's.

The WCASD school board's Policy Review Committee meets Oct. 26.