"The programs aren't accessible to all children," said Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio. "In some cases, they're not accessible to kids with disabilities or families with fewer resources. My concern is that they encourage a trend of pop-up private schools that can't be held accountable."

Student mental health and teacher shortages are major roadblocks to academic recovery that schools cannot overcome without support—and long-term funding—from the nation's leaders, a budding coalition of Black and Latino superintendents told District Administration as they marched toward the U.S. Capitol.

Leaders must be all-in on reading—whether that's integrating reading activities into core subjects like mathematics and science or promoting school—or even district-wide reading challenges and events.