Oklahoma lawmakers launch bipartisan Reading Caucus

OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Oklahoma lawmakers formed a bipartisan Reading Caucus to support implementation of the Strong Readers Act and build on recent efforts to improve early literacy.

The caucus brings together members of both legislative chambers. Its co-chairs are Reps. Mike Lay, R-Jenks, and Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, and Sens. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City.

“Every child should be reading proficiently by the end of the third grade, and we will support the evidence-based policies necessary to achieve that goal,” Lay said. “This year, Oklahoma took meaningful steps to improve our state’s reading outcomes and now our job is to make sure that progress continues.”

The caucus will prioritize implementation of the improved Strong Readers Act, monitoring short- and long-term outcomes, and identifying any legislative changes needed to improve results. Members also plan to highlight districts making progress and learn from high-performing states.

“We have seen other states make tremendous progress by committing to strong, consistent policy grounded in the science of reading. Oklahoma has taken important steps in the right direction, but our work is far from finished,” Seifried said. “This caucus is about building on that progress and following through on our commitment to Oklahoma students.”

The announcement pointed to Mississippi’s approach to literacy, which combines evidence-based policy with classroom support, as an inspiration for the caucus’s work.

Jake Yunker, executive director of the State Chamber Research Foundation, welcomed the effort and emphasized the connection between legislative reforms and support for educators.

“We applaud Oklahoma lawmakers for making early literacy a priority and recognizing that meaningful improvement requires both strong policy and sustained support for educators. Through the Oklahoma Literacy Initiative, we are working alongside schools to turn literacy reforms into classroom results by equipping teachers and school leaders with intensive training, ongoing coaching, and evidence-based instructional practices grounded in the science of reading. We look forward to partnering with the Reading Caucus to build on this momentum and ensure more Oklahoma students develop the foundational reading skills they need to succeed,” Yunker said.

“Improving literacy is one of the most important things we can do for Oklahoma’s future,” Schreiber said. “This caucus is committed to working together and delivering results that last.”

“Wanting all of our students to be able to read on grade level is not a partisan issue,” Mann said. “Any good legislation will require tweaks along the way, but we want to make sure any changes to the law are grounded in data and putting students first.”

The caucus plans to meet regularly and engage educators, parents, and national experts to help ensure state policies translate into improvements in classrooms.