The bill aims to prohibit the use of the three-cueing system in public K-12 education in Alabama, mandating that all reading instructional materials must adhere to structured literacy strategies that focus on phonics and decoding. Specifically, the bill defines the three-cueing system as a model that relies on meaning, structure, syntax, and visual cues for teaching reading, which is deemed ineffective. The legislation requires that instructional materials used in classrooms must be based on scientifically researched strategies that improve reading performance, including explicit and systematic approaches to teaching various aspects of reading and writing.

Additionally, the bill outlines that starting from the 2026-2027 school year, local boards of education and educator preparation programs must comply with these new standards. If violations occur, the State Board of Education is tasked with notifying the local boards, the Legislature, and the public. The act will take effect on June 1, 2026, and emphasizes the importance of using high-quality instructional materials that do not incorporate the three-cueing system or visual memory for teaching word recognition.