MDE details multi-year REED Act rollout; lawmakers press department on dual-language screening and coaching capacity

At a House Education Finance Committee hearing, the Minnesota Department of Education outlined progress and next steps in implementing the REED Act, saying the work will take several years and will focus on training, universal screening and local literacy plans.

The update, delivered by Assistant Commissioner Bobby Burnham, said the department views the REED Act as “a comprehensive systemic reform effort” and warned that “we aren't going to see results overnight.” Burnham presented enrollment and implementation metrics, regional coaching structures and an anticipated timeline for seeing student‑level outcomes.

The department said districts and regional partners are building capacity through a mixture of professional development and coaching. Burnham said the state has stood up regional literacy networks across nine regions, placed literacy leads in Minnesota cooperatives and is providing phased training for teachers and paraprofessionals. He reported that, as of January 2025, more than 34,000…