Ortitay Announces Plan to Fund Early Literacy Law

April 1, 2026

An investment with a return
HARRISBURG — After years of work by Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny), Pennsylvania passed a major law in 2025 to change how kids are taught to read. Now he plans to introduce legislation to fund it without raising taxes or putting more pressure on the state’s General Fund.

“To many passing the law felt like solving a problem, but it did not,” Ortitay said. “Implementation is what solves the problem. Schools were told to change curriculum, buy new reading screeners, train teachers and put intervention programs in place. Those are real upfront costs, and we never paid for that part. If the state is serious about fixing reading, it has to be serious about funding the transition.”

Ortitay added it starts by looking at early literacy differently.

“We have to stop thinking about this like it’s just another expense,” Ortitay said. “This is an investment, and it’s one of the few investments government makes that actually pays us back. Kids who can read become workers who can work, taxpayers who pay taxes, and citizens who don’t need as many government services later in life. If we get reading right early, we save money later, and a lot of it.”

Ortitay’s plan is a two-part funding package designed to cover the one-time transition costs schools face as they move to structured literacy, new curriculum, early screening and teacher training.

Part One: Get Schools the Money They Need Now

The first part of the plan would move $50 million in unspent, uncommitted funds into a restricted Early Literacy Implementation Fund so schools can begin making the transition immediately.

“This is money that is sitting there uncommitted,” Ortitay said. “We can use it right now to help schools start implementing the new law. This gets help to schools now, not three years from now.”

Part Two: Pay for the Rest Over Time Like We Do for Economic Development

The second part of the plan, called the Keystone Literacy Investment Act, uses a financing model similar to what Pennsylvania already uses to invest in economic development projects.

The program would allow the state to raise the remaining money needed now and spread the cost over future years in a controlled, capped and temporary way.

“We use this exact financing tool to invest in businesses and economic development,” Ortitay said. “I’m saying we should use the same tool to invest in making sure kids can read. Because if you want a strong economy in 10 years, it starts with whether kids can read today.”

Funds Locked for Reading

Money from the plan could only be used for:
• Evidence-based reading curriculum.
• Early reading screeners and diagnostic tools.
• Programs to help struggling readers.
• Teacher training in structured literacy.
• Literacy coaching and implementation support.

Funds could not be used for general school expenses, construction or administrative overhead.

The Urgency

Ortitay said the timing matters because schools are being required to make changes now.

“The clock is already ticking,” Ortitay said. “Schools are being told to change how they teach reading right now. The worst thing we could do is pass a big reform, pat ourselves on the back and then not give schools the tools to actually make it work.”

Finishing the Job

Ortitay said the plan is about following through on a promise the state already made.

“We already decided to fix how kids learn to read,” Ortitay said. “That was the hard part. What this plan does is simple – it gives schools the resources to implement the new literacy law; it spreads the cost out over time so we don’t blow up the budget; and it makes sure the money can only be used for reading.

“We told schools to fix reading,” Ortitay added. “This plan gives them the resources to do it. That’s what finishing the job looks like.”

The legislation will be introduced in the coming weeks.

The 46th Legislative District includes South Fayette Township and McDonald and Oakdale boroughs in Allegheny County. It also encompasses Cecil, Chartiers, Mt. Pleasant and North Strabane (Districts 6,7,8 and 9) townships and Canonsburg, Houston and McDonald boroughs in Washington County.

Representative Jason Ortitay
46th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tracy Polovick
717.260.6358
tpolovick@pahousegop.com
RepOrtitay.com / Facebook.com/RepOrtitay