Vetoed by Governor Kay Ivey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the deadline for third graders to reach their required reading level.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a school district from using any curriculum for public K-3 students that do not have instructional time included (Sec. 1.a).

• Requires reading intervention programs to do all of the following (Sec. 1.b):

• Provide explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative in language development, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as applicable;

• Provide daily targeted small group reading interventions based on student need in phonological awareness, phonics including decoding and encoding, sight words, vocabulary, or comprehension; and

• Be implemented during regular school hours.

• Requires the State Superintendent of Education to provide guidelines for the administration of the Alabama Summer Achievement Program, and to oversee all of the following (Sec. 1.f-3):

• The administration of the Alabama Summer Achievement Program in the lowest five percent performing elementary schools;

• The response to the instruction process in the lowest 5% performing elementary schools;

• The Alabama Reading Initiative regional literacy specialists and local reading specialists;

• All other aspects of the implementation of this chapter including, but not limited to, collaboration among State Department of Education staff and the task force to improve the reading proficiency of public K-3 students and implementation of rules adopted by the State Board of Education;

• The implementation of rules adopted by the State Board of Education on dyslexia; and

• Collaboration with the Alabama Reading Initiative state staff and the Alabama Department of Early.

• Requires any incoming third-grade student identified with a reading deficiency to be provided more intensified reading interventions to improve his or her specific reading deficiency. Reading intervention services will include effective instructional strategies to accelerate student progress (Sec. 1-3.g).

• Requires third-grade students to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade. Students will be provided all of the following options to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade, and the State Superintendent of Education will provide guidelines for the implementation of this law (Sec. 1-4.h):

• Scoring above the lowest achievement level, as determined by rule of the State Board of Education, on a board-approved assessment in reading;

• Earning an acceptable score on an alternative standardized reading assessment as determined and approved by the State Superintendent of Education;

• Demonstrating mastery of third-grade minimum essential state reading standards as evidenced by a student reading portfolio. The State Superintendent of Education and the task force will establish criteria for minimum essential standards and the student reading portfolios and a definition of what constitutes mastery of all third-grade state reading standards.

• Specifies good cause exemptions will be limited to the following (Sec. 1-3.j):

• Students with disabilities whose Individual Education Plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment program is not appropriate, consistent with state law.

• Students identified as English language learners who have had less than two years of instruction in English as a second language.

• Students with disabilities who participate in the statewide English language arts reading assessment and who have an Individual Education Plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects that the student has received intensive reading

• Students who have received intensive reading intervention for two or more years and who still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third-grade for a total of two years.

• No student will be retained more than twice in kindergarten through third-grade.

• Requires the State Superintendent of Education to create a uniform format for local school systems to use in reporting the information required. The format will be developed with input from local education agencies and will be provided to each local education agency no later than 90 days before the annual due date (Sec. 1-13.n).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the deadline for third graders to reach their required reading level.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a school district from using any curriculum for public K-3 students that do not have instructional time included (Sec. 1.a).

• Requires reading intervention programs to do all of the following (Sec. 1.b):

• Provide explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative in language development, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as applicable;

• Provide daily targeted small group reading interventions based on student need in phonological awareness, phonics including decoding and encoding, sight words, vocabulary, or comprehension; and

• Be implemented during regular school hours.

• Requires the State Superintendent of Education to provide guidelines for the administration of the Alabama Summer Achievement Program, and to oversee all of the following (Sec. 1.f-3):

• The administration of the Alabama Summer Achievement Program in the lowest five percent performing elementary schools;

• The response to the instruction process in the lowest 5% performing elementary schools;

• The Alabama Reading Initiative regional literacy specialists and local reading specialists;

• All other aspects of the implementation of this chapter including, but not limited to, collaboration among State Department of Education staff and the task force to improve the reading proficiency of public K-3 students and implementation of rules adopted by the State Board of Education;

• The implementation of rules adopted by the State Board of Education on dyslexia; and

• Collaboration with the Alabama Reading Initiative state staff and the Alabama Department of Early.

• Requires any incoming third-grade student identified with a reading deficiency to be provided more intensified reading interventions to improve his or her specific reading deficiency. Reading intervention services will include effective instructional strategies to accelerate student progress (Sec. 1-3.g).

• Requires third-grade students to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade. Students will be provided all of the following options to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade, and the State Superintendent of Education will provide guidelines for the implementation of this law (Sec. 1-4.h):

• Scoring above the lowest achievement level, as determined by rule of the State Board of Education, on a board-approved assessment in reading;

• Earning an acceptable score on an alternative standardized reading assessment as determined and approved by the State Superintendent of Education;

• Demonstrating mastery of third-grade minimum essential state reading standards as evidenced by a student reading portfolio. The State Superintendent of Education and the task force will establish criteria for minimum essential standards and the student reading portfolios and a definition of what constitutes mastery of all third-grade state reading standards.

• Specifies good cause exemptions will be limited to the following (Sec. 1-3.j):

• Students with disabilities whose Individual Education Plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment program is not appropriate, consistent with state law.

• Students identified as English language learners who have had less than two years of instruction in English as a second language.

• Students with disabilities who participate in the statewide English language arts reading assessment and who have an Individual Education Plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects that the student has received intensive reading

• Students who have received intensive reading intervention for two or more years and who still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third-grade for a total of two years.

• No student will be retained more than twice in kindergarten through third-grade.

• Requires the State Superintendent of Education to create a uniform format for local school systems to use in reporting the information required. The format will be developed with input from local education agencies and will be provided to each local education agency no later than 90 days before the annual due date (Sec. 1-13.n).

Full Bill Text