Today marks one year since Congress reauthorized the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act reaffirming bipartisan support for prioritizing U.S. foreign assistance that expands access to quality basic education around the world. This law was intended to guide U.S. development efforts to improve literacy, bolster education systems in partner countries, and ensure that the basic human right to education is at the center of U.S. global engagement. 

However, the past year has sharply undermined the law’s intentions. Beginning in January 2025, the Trump Administration ordered sweeping changes to U.S. foreign assistance, including the termination of most development aid and the elimination of the majority of international basic education programs supported by the U.S. Government. These abrupt actions have dismantled decades of investment in education, undermining critical programs that provided learning opportunities for millions of children and directly contradicting congressional intent. 

Giulia McPherson, Executive Director of GCE-US, said: 

“Reauthorization of the READ Act affirmed the United States’ commitment to global education equity. But a law is only as strong as its implementation. Over the last year, instead of strengthening education abroad we have witnessed the unraveling of U.S. foreign assistance and the termination of essential education programs. This puts at risk the futures of countless children and ignores the clear mandate Congress set out in the READ Act.” 

As we reflect on this anniversary, GCE-US calls on the Trump Administration to fully implement the READ Act in both policy and practice. This includes restoring support for basic education programs ensuring strong coordination across government agencies and aligning funding decisions with the law’s goals to improve literacy equity and learning outcomes. The United States must live up to its commitments and uphold its role as a global leader in education.