What is Pennsylvania Act 47 of 2025?

The annual state school code adopted in 2025 creating a statewide structured literacy initiative. Every school district, charter school, vocational school, and intermediate unit must adopt an evidence-based reading curriculum by the start of the 2027-28 school year.

What does structured literacy mean here?

State law defines the science of reading as the body of research on literacy acquisition, focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics (decoding by syllable patterns), vocabulary, and comprehension. Districts are moving away from mixed methods toward explicit, systematic phonics.

Which programs are districts using?

Examples reported in 2026 include Fundations (explicit systematic phonics, K-2), Heggerty (phonemic awareness), and Savvas materials. Districts choose their own programs as long as they are evidence-based.

Does this affect private schools?

The mandate covers public school districts, charter schools, vocational schools, and intermediate units. Private schools are not covered by the mandate.

Teaching standards

Pennsylvania Act 47: New Reading Curriculum Required by 2027-28

Pennsylvania's 2025 school code requires every public school to adopt an evidence-based structured literacy curriculum by fall 2027. If you teach reading in Pennsylvania, your materials are changing.

Check your state. Teaching standards and education policies change often and vary by state and district. Always confirm dates, requirements, and details with your state department of education or district office. This site is for general information, not professional or legal advice.

What the law requires

All school districts, charter schools, vocational schools, and intermediate units must adopt an evidence-based reading curriculum by the start of the 2027-28 school year.
The law defines the science of reading as the research base for literacy acquisition: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Instruction must be explicit and systematic, with students decoding words using syllable and sound patterns rather than guessing from pictures or context.

What is changing in classrooms

Districts across the state spent 2025-26 auditing curricula. Programs being adopted include Fundations for K-2 (described by reading specialists as explicit, systematic phonics), Heggerty for phonemic awareness, and Savvas materials for upper grades. If your district still uses balanced-literacy materials built around leveled readers and cueing strategies, expect a full replacement, not a supplement.

Timeline for teachers

2025-26: districts audit and select programs; expect training announcements.
2026-27: pilot and professional development year in most districts.
Fall 2027: evidence-based curriculum required in every classroom.

What to do now

Ask your curriculum office which program your district selected and when training starts.
If you teach K-2, expect the biggest shift: daily explicit phonics lessons replace much of the old guided-reading block.
Print phonics-aligned worksheets to supplement while materials arrive.

Sources

Pennsylvania Act 47 of 2025 (state school code, structured literacy initiative)
Reporting on district implementation, May 2026