1| SENATE FLOOR VERSION |
| February 28, 2023 |
2| AS AMENDED |
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3|SENATE BILL NO. 154 By: Stanley of the Senate |
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4| and |
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5| Lawson and Waldron of the |
| House |
6| |
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7| |
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8| [ schools - screening - progression - dyslexia - |
| policy - exemptions - report - effective date - emergency ] |
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10| |
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11| |
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12|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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13| SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C, |
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14|is amended to read as follows: |
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15| Section 1210.508C. A. 1. Each student enrolled in |
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16|kindergarten in a public school in this state shall be screened at |
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17|the beginning, middle, and end of each school year for reading |
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18|skills including, but not limited to, phonemic awareness, letter |
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19|recognition, and oral language skills as identified in the subject |
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20|matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education. A |
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21|screening instrument approved by the State Board shall be utilized |
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22|for the purposes of this section. |
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23| 2. For those kindergarten children at risk for reading |
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24|difficulties at the beginning of the year, teachers shall emphasize |
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1|reading skills as identified in the subject matter standards adopted |
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2|by the State Board of Education, monitor progress throughout the |
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3|year, and measure mid-year and year-end reading progress. |
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4| 3. Kindergarten students who are not meeting grade-level |
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5|targets by mid-year in reading shall be provided a program of |
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6|reading instruction designed to enable the student to acquire the |
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7|appropriate grade-level reading skills. |
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8| 4. Classroom assistants, which may include parents, |
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9|grandparents, or other volunteers, shall be provided in kindergarten |
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10|classes to assist with the screening of students if a teacher aide |
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11|is not already employed to assist in a kindergarten classroom. |
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12| 5. Exemptions to the screening requirements of this subsection |
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13|may be provided for students who have documented evidence that they |
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14|meet at least one of the following criteria as related to the |
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15|provision of instruction: |
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16| a. the student participates in the Oklahoma Alternate |
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17| Assessment Program (OAAP) and is taught using |
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18| alternate methods, |
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19| b. the student's primary expressive and/or receptive |
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20| communication is sign language, |
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21| c. the student's primary form of written or read text is |
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22| Braille, or |
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23| d. the student's primary expressive and/or receptive |
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24| language is not English, the student is identified as |
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1| an English learner using a state-approved |
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2| identification assessment, and the student has had |
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3| less than one (1) school year of instruction in an |
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4| English learner program. |
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5| B. 1. Each student enrolled in first, second, and third grade |
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6|of the public schools of this state shall be assessed at the |
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7|beginning, middle, and end of each school year using a screening |
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8|instrument approved by the State Board of Education for the |
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9|acquisition of reading skills including, but not limited to, |
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10|phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and |
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11|comprehension. |
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12| 2. Exemptions to the screening requirements of this subsection |
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13|may be provided for students who have documented evidence that they |
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14|meet at least one of the following criteria as related to the |
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15|provision of classroom instruction: |
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16| a. the student participates in the OAAP and is taught |
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17| using alternate methods, |
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18| b. the student's primary expressive and/or receptive |
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19| communication is sign language, |
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20| c. the student's primary form of written or read text is |
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21| Braille, or |
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22| d. the student's primary expressive and/or receptive |
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23| language is not English, the student is identified as |
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24| an English learner using a state-approved |
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1| identification assessment, and the student has had |
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2| less than one (1) school year of instruction in an |
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3| English learner program. |
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4| A public school that grants an exemption pursuant to this |
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5|paragraph shall provide ongoing evidence of student progression |
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6|toward English language acquisition with the same frequency as |
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7|administration of screening assessments. Evidence may include, but |
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8|not be limited to, student progression toward OAAP reading essential |
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9|elements, proficiency in sign language and reading comprehension, |
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10|and proficiency in Braille and reading comprehension. |
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11| C. Any student enrolled in first, second, or third grade who is |
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12|assessed and who is not meeting grade-level targets in reading shall |
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13|be provided a program of reading instruction designed to enable the |
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14|student to acquire the appropriate grade level reading skills. The |
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15|program of reading instruction shall include provisions of the READ |
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16|Initiative adopted by the school district as provided for in |
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17|subsection P of this section. Throughout the year progress |
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18|monitoring shall continue, and diagnostic assessment, if determined |
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19|appropriate, shall be provided. Year-end reading skills shall be |
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20|measured to determine reading success. |
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21| D. The State Board of Education shall approve screening |
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22|instruments for use at the beginning and end of the school year, for |
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23|monitoring of progress, and for measurement of reading skills at the |
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24|end of the school year as required in subsections A and B of this |
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1|section; provided, at least one of the screening instruments shall |
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2|meet the following criteria: |
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3| 1. Assess for phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, |
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4|vocabulary, and comprehension; |
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5| 2. Document the validity and reliability of each assessment; |
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6| 3. Can be used for identifying students who are at risk for |
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7|reading deficiency and progress monitoring throughout the school |
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8|year; |
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9| 4. Can be used to assess students with disabilities and English |
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10|language learners; and |
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11| 5. Accompanied by a data management system that provides |
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12|profiles for students, class, grade level, and school building. The |
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13|profiles shall identify each student's instructional point of need |
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14|and reading achievement level. The State Board shall also determine |
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15|other comparable reading assessments for diagnostic purposes to be |
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16|used for students at risk of reading failure. The State Board shall |
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17|ensure that any assessments approved are in alignment with the |
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18|subject matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education. |
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19| E. 1. The program of reading instruction required in |
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20|subsections A and B of this section shall align with the subject |
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21|matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education and shall |
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22|include provisions of the READ Initiative adopted by the school |
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23|district as provided for in subsection P of this section. A program |
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24|of reading instruction may include, but is not limited to: |
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1| a. sufficient additional in-school instructional time |
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2| for the acquisition of phonemic awareness, phonics, |
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3| reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, |
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4| b. if necessary, tutorial instruction after regular |
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5| school hours, on Saturdays, and during summer; |
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6| however, such instruction may not be counted toward |
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7| the one-hundred-eighty-day or one-thousand-eighty-hour |
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8| school year required in Section 1-109 of this title, |
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9| and |
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10| c. assessments identified for diagnostic purposes and |
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11| periodic monitoring to measure the acquisition of |
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12| reading skills including, but not limited to, phonemic |
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13| awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and |
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14| comprehension, as identified in the student's program |
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15| of reading instruction. |
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16| 2. A student enrolled in first or second grades who has been |
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17|assessed as provided for in subsection B of this section and found |
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18|not to be meeting grade-level targets in reading, shall be entitled |
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19|to supplemental instructional services and supports in reading until |
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20|the student is determined by the results of a screening instrument |
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21|to be meeting grade-level targets in reading. The program of |
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22|reading instruction for each student shall be developed by a Student |
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23|Reading Proficiency Team and shall include supplemental |
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24| |
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1|instructional services and supports. Each team shall be composed |
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2|of: |
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3| a. the parent or legal guardian of the student, |
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4| b. the teacher assigned to the student who had |
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5| responsibility for reading instruction in that |
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6| academic year, |
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7| c. a teacher who is responsible for reading instruction |
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8| and is assigned to teach in the next grade level of |
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9| the student, and |
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10| d. a certified reading specialist, if one is available. |
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11| F. The program of reading instruction shall continue until the |
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12|student is determined by the results of approved reading assessments |
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13|to be meeting grade-level targets. |
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14| G. 1. Every school district shall adopt, and implement a |
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15|district reading sufficiency plan which has had input from school |
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16|administrators, teachers, and parents and if possible a reading |
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17|specialist, and which shall be submitted electronically to and |
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18|approved by the State Board of Education. The plan shall be updated |
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19|annually. School districts shall not be required to electronically |
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20|submit the annual updates to the Board if the last plan submitted to |
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21|the Board was approved and expenditures for the program include only |
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22|expenses relating to individual and small group tutoring, purchase |
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23|of and training in the use of screening and assessment measures, |
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24|summer school programs, and Saturday school programs. If any |
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1|expenditure for the program is deleted or changed or any other type |
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2|of expenditure for the program is implemented, the school district |
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3|shall be required to submit the latest annual update to the Board |
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4|for approval. The district reading sufficiency plan shall include a |
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5|plan for each site which includes an analysis of the data provided |
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6|by the Oklahoma School Testing Program and other reading assessments |
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7|utilized as required in this section, and which outlines how each |
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8|school site will comply with the provisions of the Reading |
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9|Sufficiency Act. |
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10| 2. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the |
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11|implementation and evaluation of the provisions of the Reading |
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12|Sufficiency Act. The evaluation shall include, but not be limited |
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13|to, an analysis of the data required in subsection S of this |
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14|section. |
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15| H. For any third-grade student found not to be meeting |
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16|grade-level targets as determined by reading assessments |
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17|administered pursuant to this section, a new program of reading |
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18|instruction, including provisions of the READ Initiative adopted by |
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19|the school district as provided for in subsection P of this section, |
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20|shall be developed by a Student Reading Proficiency Team and |
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21|implemented as specified in subsection E of this section. In |
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22|addition to other requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Act, the |
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23|plan may include specialized tutoring. |
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24| |
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1| I. 1. Any first-grade, second-grade, or third-grade student |
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2|who demonstrates end of year proficiency in reading at the |
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3|third-grade level through a screening instrument which meets the |
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4|acquisition of reading skills criteria pursuant to subsection B of |
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5|this section shall not be subject to retention pursuant to this |
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6|section. After a student has demonstrated proficiency through a |
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7|screening instrument, the district shall provide notification to the |
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8|parent or legal guardian of the student that they have satisfied the |
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9|requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Act and will not be subject |
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10|to retention pursuant to this section. |
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11| 2. If a third-grade student is identified at any point of the |
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12|academic year as having a significant reading deficiency, which |
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13|shall be defined as not meeting grade-level targets on a screening |
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14|instrument which meets the acquisition of reading skills criteria |
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15|pursuant to subsection B of this section, the district shall |
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16|immediately begin a student reading portfolio as provided by |
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17|subsection L of this section and shall provide notice to the parent |
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18|of the deficiency pursuant to subsection J of this section. |
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19| 3. If a student has not yet satisfied the proficiency |
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20|requirements of this section prior to the completion of third grade |
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21|and still has a significant reading deficiency, as identified based |
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22|on assessments administered as provided for in subsection B of this |
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23|section, has not accumulated evidence of third-grade proficiency |
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24|through a student portfolio as provided in subsection L of this |
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1|section, or is not subject to a good-cause exemption as provided in |
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2|subsection L of this section, then the student shall not be eligible |
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3|for automatic promotion to fourth grade. |
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4| 4. The minimum criteria for grade-level performance of |
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5|third-grade students pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act shall |
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6|be that students are able to read and comprehend grade-level text. |
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7|To determine the promotion and retention of third-grade students |
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8|pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act, the State Board of |
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9|Education shall use only the scores for the standards for reading |
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10|foundations/processes and vocabulary portions of the statewide |
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11|third-grade assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of |
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12|this title and shall not use the scores from the other language arts |
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13|portions of the assessment. The performance levels established by |
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14|the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability pursuant |
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15|to Section 1210.508 of this title shall ensure that students meeting |
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16|the performance-level criteria are performing at grade level on the |
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17|reading foundations and vocabulary portions of the statewide |
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18|third-grade assessment. |
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19| 5. a. A student not eligible for automatic promotion as |
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20| provided for under paragraph 3 of this subsection and |
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21| who does not meet the criteria established by the |
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22| Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability |
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23| on the reading portion of the statewide third-grade |
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24| assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 |
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1| of this title may be evaluated for probationary |
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2| promotion by the Student Reading Proficiency Team |
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3| which was created for the student pursuant to |
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4| subsection E of this section. |
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5| b. The student shall be promoted to the fourth grade if |
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6| the team members unanimously recommend probationary |
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7| promotion to the school principal and the school |
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8| district superintendent and the principal and |
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9| superintendent approve the recommendation that |
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10| promotion is the best option for the student. If a |
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11| student is allowed a probationary promotion, the team |
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12| shall continue to review the reading performance of |
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13| the student and repeat the requirements of this |
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14| paragraph each academic year until the student |
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15| demonstrates grade-level reading proficiency, as |
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16| identified through a screening instrument which meets |
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17| the acquisition of reading skills criteria pursuant to |
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18| subsection B of this section, for the corresponding |
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19| grade level in which the student is enrolled or |
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20| transitions to a locally designed remediation plan |
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21| after the fifth grade which shall have the goal of |
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22| ensuring that the student is on track to be college |
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23| and career ready. |
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24| |
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1| 6. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, students who do |
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2|not meet the performance criteria established by the Commission for |
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3|Educational Quality and Accountability on the reading portion of the |
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4|statewide third-grade assessment administered pursuant to Section |
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5|1210.508 of this title, who are not subject to a good cause |
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6|exemption as provided in subsection L of this section, and who do |
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7|not qualify for promotion or probationary promotion as provided in |
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8|this subsection, shall be retained in the third grade and provided |
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9|intensive instructional services and supports as provided for in |
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10|subsection O of this section. |
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11| 7. Each school district shall annually report to the State |
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12|Department of Education the number of students promoted to the |
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13|fourth grade pursuant to this subsection and the number of students |
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14|promoted to a subsequent grade pursuant to the provisions in |
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15|paragraph 5 of this subsection. The State Department of Education |
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16|shall publicly report the aggregate and district-specific number of |
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17|students promoted on their website and shall provide electronic |
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18|copies of the report to the Governor, Secretary of Education, |
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19|President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of |
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20|Representatives, and to the respective chairs of the committees with |
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21|responsibility for common education policy in each legislative |
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22|chamber. |
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23| J. The parent of any student who is found to have a reading |
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24|deficiency and is not meeting grade-level reading targets and has |
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1|been provided a program of reading instruction as provided for in |
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2|subsection B of this section shall be notified in writing of the |
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3|following: |
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4| 1. That the student has been identified as having a substantial |
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5|deficiency in reading; |
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6| 2. A description of the current services that are provided to |
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7|the student pursuant to a conjoint measurement model such that a |
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8|reader and a text are placed on the same scale; |
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9| 3. A description of the proposed supplemental instructional |
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10|services and supports that will be provided to the student that are |
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11|designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency; |
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12| 4. That the student will not be promoted to the fourth grade if |
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13|the reading deficiency is not remediated by the end of the third |
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14|grade, unless the student is otherwise promoted as provided for in |
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15|subsection I of this section or is exempt for good cause as set |
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16|forth in subsection L of this section; |
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17| 5. Strategies for parents to use in helping their child succeed |
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18|in reading proficiency; |
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19| 6. The grade-level performance scores of the student; |
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20| 7. That while the results of the statewide assessments |
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21|administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title are the |
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22|initial determinant, they are not the sole determiner of promotion |
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23|and that portfolio reviews and assessments are available; and |
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24| |
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1| 8. The specific criteria and policies of the school district |
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2|for midyear promotion implemented as provided for in paragraph 4 of |
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3|subsection O of this section. |
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4| K. No student may be assigned to a grade level based solely on |
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5|age or other factors that constitute social promotion. |
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6| L. For those students who do not meet the academic requirements |
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7|for promotion and who are not otherwise promoted as provided for in |
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8|subsection I of this section, a school district may promote the |
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9|student for good cause only. Good-cause exemptions for promotion |
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10|shall be limited to the following: |
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11| 1. English language learners who have had less than two (2) |
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12|years of instruction in an English language learner program; |
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13| 2. Students with disabilities whose individualized education |
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14|program (IEP), consistent with state law, indicates that the student |
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15|is to be assessed with alternate achievement standards through the |
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16|Oklahoma Alternate Assessment Program (OAAP); |
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17| 3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of performance |
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18|on an alternative standardized reading assessment approved by the |
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19|State Board of Education; |
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20| 4. Students who demonstrate, through a student portfolio, that |
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21|the student is reading on grade level as evidenced by demonstration |
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22|of mastery of the state standards beyond the retention level; |
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23| 5. Students with disabilities who participate in the statewide |
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24|assessments administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title |
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1|and who have an individualized education program that reflects that |
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2|the student has received intensive remediation in reading and has |
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3|made adequate progress in reading pursuant to the student's |
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4|individualized education program; |
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5| 6. Students who have received intensive remediation in reading |
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6|through a program of reading instruction for two (2) or more years |
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7|but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who were |
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8|previously retained in prekindergarten for academic reasons, |
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9|kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade; and |
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10| 7. Students who have been granted an exemption for medical |
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11|emergencies by the State Department of Education. |
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12| M. A student who is otherwise promoted as provided for in |
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13|subsection I of this section or is promoted for good cause as |
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14|provided for in subsection L of this section shall be provided |
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15|intensive reading instruction that includes specialized diagnostic |
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16|information and specific reading strategies for each student until |
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17|the student meets grade-level targets in reading. The school |
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18|district shall assist schools and teachers to implement reading |
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19|strategies for the promoted students that research has shown to be |
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20|successful in improving reading among low-performing readers. |
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21| N. Requests to exempt students from the retention requirements |
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22|based on one of the good-cause exemptions as described in subsection |
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23|L of this section shall be made using the following process: |
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24| |
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1| 1. Documentation submitted from the teacher of the student to |
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2|the school principal that indicates the student meets one of the |
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3|good-cause exemptions and promotion of the student is appropriate. |
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4|In order to minimize paperwork requirements, the documentation shall |
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5|consist only of the alternative assessment results or student |
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6|portfolio work and the individual education plan (IEP), as |
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7|applicable; |
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8| 2. The principal of the school shall review and discuss the |
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9|documentation with the teacher and, if applicable, the other members |
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10|of the Student Reading Proficiency Team as described in subsection E |
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11|of this section. If the principal determines that the student meets |
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12|one of the good-cause exemptions and should be promoted based on the |
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13|documentation provided, the principal shall make a recommendation in |
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14|writing to the school district superintendent; and |
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15| 3. After review, the school district superintendent shall |
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16|accept or reject the recommendation of the principal in writing. |
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17| O. Each school district shall: |
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18| 1. Conduct a review of the program of reading instruction for |
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19|all students who do not meet the performance criteria established by |
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20|the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability on the |
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21|reading portion of the statewide assessment administered pursuant to |
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22|Section 1210.508 of this title and did not meet the criteria for one |
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23|of the good-cause exemptions as set forth in subsection L of this |
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24|section. The review shall address additional supports and services, |
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1|as described in this subsection, needed to remediate the identified |
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2|areas of reading deficiency. The school district shall require a |
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3|student portfolio to be completed for each retained student; |
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4| 2. Provide to students who have been retained as set forth in |
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5|subsection I of this section with intensive interventions in |
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6|reading, intensive instructional services and supports to remediate |
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7|the identified areas of reading deficiency, including a minimum of |
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8|ninety (90) minutes of daily, uninterrupted, |
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9|scientific-research-based reading instruction. Retained students |
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10|shall be provided other strategies prescribed by the school |
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11|district, which may include, but are not limited to: |
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12| a. small group instruction, |
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13| b. reduced teacher-student ratios, |
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14| c. more frequent progress monitoring, |
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15| d. tutoring or mentoring, |
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16| e. transition classes containing third- and fourth-grade |
| |
17| students, |
| |
18| f. extended school day, week, or year, and |
| |
19| g. summer reading academies as provided for in Section |
| |
20| 1210.508E of this title, if available; |
| |
21| 3. Provide written notification to the parent or legal guardian |
| |
22|of any student who is to be retained as set forth in subsection I of |
| |
23|this section that the student has not met the performance criteria |
| |
24|required for promotion and was not otherwise promoted and the |
| |
arsid9570548 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB154 SFLR Page 17
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1|reasons the student is not eligible for a good-cause exemption. The |
| |
2|notification shall include a description of proposed interventions |
| |
3|and intensive instructional supports that will be provided to the |
| |
4|student to remediate the identified areas of reading deficiency; |
| |
5| 4. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a retained |
| |
6|student who can demonstrate that the student is a successful and |
| |
7|independent reader, is reading at or above grade-level targets, and |
| |
8|is ready to be promoted to the fourth grade. Tools that school |
| |
9|districts may use in reevaluating any retained student may include |
| |
10|screening assessments, alternative assessments, and portfolio |
| |
11|reviews, in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education. |
| |
12|Retained students may only be promoted midyear prior to November 1 |
| |
13|and only upon demonstrating that the student has met the performance |
| |
14|criteria established by the Commission for Educational Quality and |
| |
15|Accountability on the reading portion of the statewide third-grade |
| |
16|assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title, |
| |
17|or upon demonstrating proficiency in reading at the third-grade |
| |
18|level through a screening instrument administered pursuant to |
| |
19|subsection B of this section, and upon showing progress sufficient |
| |
20|to master appropriate fourth-grade-level skills, as determined by |
| |
21|the school. A midyear promotion shall be made only upon agreement |
| |
22|of the parent or legal guardian of the student and the school |
| |
23|principal; |
| |
24| |
| |
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1| 5. Provide students who are retained with a high-performing |
| |
2|teacher who can address the needs of the student, based on student |
| |
3|performance data and above-satisfactory performance appraisals; and |
| |
4| 6. In addition to required reading enhancement and acceleration |
| |
5|strategies, provide students who are retained with at least one of |
| |
6|the following instructional options: |
| |
7| a. supplemental tutoring in scientific-research-based |
| |
8| reading services in addition to the regular reading |
| |
9| block, including tutoring before or after school, |
| |
10| b. a parent-guided "Read at Home" assistance plan, as |
| |
11| developed by the State Department of Education, the |
| |
12| purpose of which is to encourage regular parent-guided |
| |
13| home reading, or |
| |
14| c. a mentor or tutor with specialized reading training. |
| |
15| P. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, each school |
| |
16|district shall establish a Reading Enhancement and Acceleration |
| |
17|Development (READ) Initiative. The focus of the READ Initiative |
| |
18|shall be to prevent the retention of third-grade students by |
| |
19|offering intensive accelerated reading instruction to third-grade |
| |
20|students who failed to meet standards for promotion to fourth grade |
| |
21|and to kindergarten through third-grade students who are exhibiting |
| |
22|a reading deficiency. The READ Initiative shall: |
| |
23| 1. Be provided to all kindergarten through third-grade students |
| |
24|at risk of retention as identified by the assessments administered |
| |
arsid9570548 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB154 SFLR Page 19
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1|pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act. The assessment used shall |
| |
2|measure phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, |
| |
3|and comprehension; |
| |
4| 2. Be provided during regular school hours in addition to the |
| |
5|regular reading instruction; |
| |
6| 3. Provide a reading curriculum that, at a minimum, meets the |
| |
7|following specifications: |
| |
8| a. assists students assessed as exhibiting a reading |
| |
9| deficiency in developing the ability to read at grade |
| |
10| level, |
| |
11| b. provides skill development in phonemic awareness, |
| |
12| phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and |
| |
13| comprehension, |
| |
14| c. provides a scientific-research-based and reliable |
| |
15| assessment, |
| |
16| d. provides initial and ongoing analysis of the reading |
| |
17| progress of each student, and |
| |
18| e. is implemented during regular school hours,; |
| |
19| 4. Establish at each school, where applicable, an Intensive |
| |
20|Acceleration Class for retained third-grade students who |
| |
21|subsequently do not meet the performance criteria established by the |
| |
22|Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability on the reading |
| |
23|portion of the statewide assessment administered pursuant to Section |
| |
24|1210.508 of this title. The focus of the Intensive Acceleration |
| |
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1|Class shall be to increase the reading level of a child at least two |
| |
2|grade levels in one (1) school year. The Intensive Acceleration |
| |
3|Class shall: |
| |
4| a. be provided to any student in the third grade who |
| |
5| does not meet the performance criteria established by |
| |
6| the Commission for Educational Quality and |
| |
7| Accountability on the reading portion of the statewide |
| |
8| assessments and who was retained in the third grade |
| |
9| the prior year because of not meeting the performance |
| |
10| criteria on the reading portion of the statewide |
| |
11| assessments, |
| |
12| b. have a reduced teacher-student ratio, |
| |
13| c. provide uninterrupted reading instruction for the |
| |
14| majority of student contact time each day and |
| |
15| incorporate opportunities to master the fourth-grade |
| |
16| state standards in other core subject areas, |
| |
17| d. use a reading program that is |
| |
18| scientific-research-based and has proven results in |
| |
19| accelerating student reading achievement within the |
| |
20| same school year, |
| |
21| e. provide intensive language and vocabulary instruction |
| |
22| using a scientific-research-based program, including |
| |
23| use of a speech-language therapist, and |
| |
24| |
| |
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1| f. include weekly progress monitoring measures to ensure |
| |
2| progress is being made; |
| |
3| 5. Provide reports to the State Board of Education, upon |
| |
4|request, on the specific intensive reading interventions and |
| |
5|supports implemented by the school district. The State |
| |
6|Superintendent of Public Instruction shall annually prescribe the |
| |
7|required components of the reports; and |
| |
8| 6. Provide to a student who has been retained in the third |
| |
9|grade and has received intensive instructional services but is still |
| |
10|not ready for grade promotion, as determined by the school district, |
| |
11|the option of being placed in a transitional instructional setting. |
| |
12|A transitional setting shall specifically be designed to produce |
| |
13|learning gains sufficient to meet fourth-grade performance standards |
| |
14|while continuing to remediate the areas of reading deficiency. |
| |
15| Q. 1. Each school district board of education shall annually |
| |
16|publish on the school website, and report in writing to the State |
| |
17|Board of Education by September 1 of each year, the following |
| |
18|information on the prior school year: |
| |
19| a. the provisions of this section relating to public |
| |
20| school student progression and the policies and |
| |
21| procedures of the school district on student retention |
| |
22| and promotion, |
| |
23| b. the number and percentage of all students in grade |
| |
24| three that did not meet the performance criteria |
| |
arsid9570548 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB154 SFLR Page 22
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1| established by the Commission for Educational Quality |
| |
2| and Accountability on the reading portion of the |
| |
3| statewide assessment administered pursuant to Section |
| |
4| 1210.508 of this title, |
| |
5| c. by grade, the number and percentage of all students |
| |
6| retained in grades three through ten, |
| |
7| d. information on the total number and percentage of |
| |
8| students who were promoted for good cause, by each |
| |
9| category of good cause as specified above, and |
| |
10| e. any revisions to the policies of the school district |
| |
11| on student retention and promotion from the prior |
| |
12| year. |
| |
13| 2. The State Department of Education shall establish a uniform |
| |
14|format for school districts to report the information required in |
| |
15|this subsection. The format shall be developed with input from |
| |
16|school districts and shall be provided not later than ninety (90) |
| |
17|days prior to the annual due date. The Department shall annually |
| |
18|compile the information required, along with state-level summary |
| |
19|information, and report the information to the public, the Governor, |
| |
20|the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the |
| |
21|House of Representatives. |
| |
22| R. The State Department of Education shall provide technical |
| |
23|assistance as needed to aid school districts in administering the |
| |
24|provision of the Reading Sufficiency Act. |
| |
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1| S. On or before January 31 of each year, the State Department |
| |
2|of Education shall issue to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore |
| |
3|of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and |
| |
4|members of the education committees of the Senate and House of |
| |
5|Representatives Education Committees a Reading Sufficiency Report |
| |
6|which shall include, but is not limited to, trend data detailing |
| |
7|three (3) years of data, disaggregated by student subgroups to |
| |
8|include economically disadvantaged, major racial or ethnic groups, |
| |
9|students with disabilities, and English language learners, as |
| |
10|appropriate for the following: |
| |
11| 1. The number and percentage of students in kindergarten |
| |
12|through third grade determined to be at risk for reading |
| |
13|difficulties compared to the total number of students enrolled in |
| |
14|each grade; |
| |
15| 2. The number and percentage of students in kindergarten who |
| |
16|continue to be at risk for reading difficulties as determined by the |
| |
17|year-end measurement of reading progress; |
| |
18| 3. The number and percentage of students in kindergarten |
| |
19|through third grade who have successfully completed their program of |
| |
20|reading instruction and are reading on grade level as determined by |
| |
21|the results of approved reading assessments; |
| |
22| 4. The number and percentage of students that meet or do not |
| |
23|meet the performance criteria established by the Commission for |
| |
24|Educational Quality and Accountability on the reading portion of the |
| |
arsid9570548 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB154 SFLR Page 24
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1|statewide third-grade assessment administered pursuant to Section |
| |
2|1210.508 of this title; |
| |
3| 5. The number of students tested, the number of students |
| |
4|promoted through meeting proficiency on a screening instrument as |
| |
5|provided for in subsection I of this section, the number of students |
| |
6|promoted through each of the good-cause exemptions as provided for |
| |
7|in subsection L of this section and the number of students retained |
| |
8|and the number of students promoted through probationary promotion |
| |
9|as provided for in subsection I of this section for each elementary |
| |
10|site; |
| |
11| 6. Data tracking the progression of students promoted through |
| |
12|each of the good-cause exemptions as provided for in subsection L of |
| |
13|this section and students promoted through probationary promotion or |
| |
14|students who are retained in third grade as provided for in |
| |
15|subsection I of this section. The data shall include but not be |
| |
16|limited to information regarding whether students graduate on time; |
| |
17| 7. The amount of funds for reading remediation received by each |
| |
18|district; |
| |
19| 8. An evaluation and narrative interpretation of the report |
| |
20|data analyzing the impact of the Reading Sufficiency Act on |
| |
21|students' ability to read at grade level; |
| |
22| 9. The type of reading instruction practices and methods |
| |
23|currently being used by school districts in the state; |
| |
24| |
| |
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1| 10. Socioeconomic information, access to reading resources |
| |
2|outside of school and screening for and identification of learning |
| |
3|disabilities for students not reading at the appropriate grade level |
| |
4|by third grade; |
| |
5| 11. The types of intensive remediation efforts being conducted |
| |
6|by school districts to identify best practices for students that are |
| |
7|not reading at the appropriate grade level and are not retained |
| |
8|under the provisions of this section; and |
| |
9| 12. Any recommendations for improvements or amendments to the |
| |
10|Reading Sufficiency Act. |
| |
11| The State Department of Education may contract with an |
| |
12|independent entity for the reporting and analysis requirements of |
| |
13|this subsection. |
| |
14| T. Copies of the results of the assessments administered shall |
| |
15|be made a part of the permanent record of each student. |
| |
16| SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.520, is |
| |
17|amended to read as follows: |
| |
18| Section 1210.520. A. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year |
| |
19|and for each school year thereafter, any student enrolled in |
| |
20|kindergarten, first, second, or third grade in a public school in |
| |
21|this state who is assessed through the Reading Sufficiency Act |
| |
22|pursuant to Section 1210.508C of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes |
| |
23|this title and who is not meeting grade-level targets in reading |
| |
24|after the beginning-of-the-year assessment shall be screened for |
| |
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1|dyslexia. Screening also may be requested for a student by his or |
| |
2|her parent or legal guardian, teacher, counselor, speech-language |
| |
3|pathologist, or school psychologist. |
| |
4| B. No later than July 1, 2021, the State Board of Education |
| |
5|shall develop policies for dyslexia screening required under this |
| |
6|subsection and which shall include, but not be limited to: |
| |
7| 1. The definition and characteristics of dyslexia and related |
| |
8|language disorders; |
| |
9| 2. The process for referring students in kindergarten and |
| |
10|grades one through three for screening; |
| |
11| 3. A process for providing notification to parents of the use |
| |
12|of a qualified dyslexia-screening tool and notification of the |
| |
13|results of the screening; |
| |
14| 4. A process for providing the parents of students screened for |
| |
15|dyslexia with information and resource material regarding dyslexia; |
| |
16|and |
| |
17| 5. A process for monitoring the student's progress after the |
| |
18|positive identification of characteristics of dyslexia, or other |
| |
19|disorders; and |
| |
20| 6. Requirements and qualifications for screeners that |
| |
21|demonstrate an understanding of and training to administer the |
| |
22|screening instrument. |
| |
23| |
| |
24| |
| |
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1| C. The Board shall adopt a list of approved qualified dyslexia |
| |
2|screening tools that address the following components, as |
| |
3|developmentally appropriate: |
| |
4| 1. Phonological awareness; |
| |
5| 2. Advanced phonemic Phonemic awareness; |
| |
6| 3. Sound symbol recognition; |
| |
7| 4. Alphabet knowledge; |
| |
8| 5. Decoding skills; |
| |
9| 6. Encoding skills; and |
| |
10| 7. Rapid naming; and |
| |
11| 8. Developmental language. |
| |
12| D. Screening shall be conducted in accordance with the policies |
| |
13|developed by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection B |
| |
14|of this section and the Oklahoma Dyslexia Handbook, including |
| |
15|policies and information developed relating to universal screening |
| |
16|of kindergarten students for characteristics of dyslexia. |
| |
17| E. 1. Exemptions to the screening requirements of this section |
| |
18|may be provided for students who have documented evidence that they |
| |
19|meet at least one of the following criteria as related to the |
| |
20|provision of classroom instruction: |
| |
21| a. the student participates in the Oklahoma Alternate |
| |
22| Assessment Program (OAAP) and is taught using |
| |
23| alternate standards, |
| |
24| |
| |
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1| b. the student's primary expressive and/or receptive |
| |
2| communication is sign language, |
| |
3| c. the student's primary form of written or read text is |
| |
4| Braille, or |
| |
5| d. the student's primary expressive and/or receptive |
| |
6| language is not English, the student is identified as |
| |
7| an English learner using a state-approved |
| |
8| identification assessment, and the student has had |
| |
9| less than one (1) school year of instruction in an |
| |
10| English learner program. |
| |
11| 2. If a student who qualifies for an exemption pursuant to this |
| |
12|subsection is screened for characteristics of dyslexia, he or she |
| |
13|shall be subject to the other requirements of this section. |
| |
14| 3. A public school that grants an exemption pursuant to this |
| |
15|subsection shall provide ongoing evidence of student progression |
| |
16|toward English language acquisition with the same frequency as |
| |
17|administration of screening tools. Evidence may include, but not be |
| |
18|limited to, student progression toward OAAP reading essential |
| |
19|elements, proficiency in sign language and reading comprehension, |
| |
20|proficiency in Braille and reading comprehension, and proficiency in |
| |
21|English as an additional language. The public school shall collect |
| |
22|ongoing evidence in a manner that may be provided to a student's |
| |
23|parent or legal guardian as necessary or upon request. |
| |
24| |
| |
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1| F. Beginning June 30, 2023, and for by June 30 each year |
| |
2|thereafter, school districts shall provide the following data to the |
| |
3|State Department of Education: |
| |
4| 1. The number of students by grade level in kindergarten |
| |
5|through grade three who were screened for characteristics of |
| |
6|dyslexia in a school year; |
| |
7| 2. The number of students by grade level in kindergarten |
| |
8|through grade three who were newly identified as having |
| |
9|characteristics of dyslexia in a school year; |
| |
10| 3. The number of students by grade level in kindergarten |
| |
11|through grade three who qualified for and were provided an exemption |
| |
12|pursuant to subsection E of this section in a school year; |
| |
13| 4. The process or tools used to evaluate student progress; |
| |
14| 4. 5. The number of trained school system personnel or licensed |
| |
15|professionals used to administer the qualified dyslexia screening |
| |
16|tool; |
| |
17| 5. 6. The number of students in kindergarten through grade |
| |
18|three who were participating in interventions addressing |
| |
19|characteristics of dyslexia provided by the school within the school |
| |
20|setting and the number of students participating in interventions |
| |
21|outside the school setting; and |
| |
22| 6. 7. The programs used by districts for intervention to |
| |
23|address characteristics of dyslexia within the school setting. |
| |
24| |
| |
arsid9570548 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB154 SFLR Page 30
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1| F. G. By December 31, 2023 January 31, 2025, and for by January |
| |
2|31 each year thereafter, the State Department of Education shall |
| |
3|provide a report containing all of the information provided in |
| |
4|subsection E F of this section to the Governor and Legislature and |
| |
5|make the report available on the Department's website. |
| |
6| G. H. As funds are available, beginning the 2021-2022 school |
| |
7|year, the Department shall provide training on the best practices |
| |
8|for screening for characteristics of dyslexia. |
| |
9| H. I. The State Board of Education may promulgate rules |
| |
10|necessary to implement the provisions of this section. |
| |
11| SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. |
| |
12| SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation |
| |
13|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby |
| |
14|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and |
| |
15|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. |
| |
16|COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION |
|February 28, 2023 - DO PASS AS AMENDED |
17| |
| |
18| |
| |
19| |
| |
20| |
| |
21| |
| |
22| |
| |
23| |
| |
24| |
| |
arsid9570548 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB154 SFLR Page 31