AB 321 — Relating to: reading instruction in public schools and private schools participating in parental choice programs, an early literacy assessment and intervention program, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

Under the bill, annually, upon receiving recommendations from the Council on Early Literacy Curricula, DPI must submit proposed recommendations on early literacy curricula and instructional materials to the Joint Committee on Finance.

DPI may not adopt the recommendations unless JCF approves the recommendations.

For purposes of the recommendations for the 2024-25 school year, the initial recommendations made by the council, the bill requires that proposed recommendations be submitted to JCF by November 1, 2023.

Under the bill, DPI must maintain a list of adopted recommendations for early literacy curricula and instructional materials on its website.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, if a school board, charter school, or private school participating in a parental choice program chooses to adopt an early literacy curriculum, the school board, charter school, or private school participating in a parental choice program must adopt an early literacy curriculum recommended by DPI.

The bill also requires DPI to award grants to school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a choice program that adopt a recommended early literacy curriculum on or after January 1, 2024.

Under the bill, the amount of the grant is 50 percent of the cost to purchase the recommended literacy curriculum and instructional materials.

Beginning on the date the bill becomes law, school boards, charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program are prohibited from purchasing curricula and instructional materials that incorporate three-cueing.

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the bill also prohibits public schools, including charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program from providing instruction to pupils in grades kindergarten to three that incorporates three-cueing in the core reading curriculum or in supplemental materials, including materials used for reading intervention.

TEACHER PREPARATORY PROGRAMS AND LICENSES TO TEACH;

INSTRUCTION TO TEACH READING Under current law, the state superintendent of public instruction is required to prescribe standards, requirements, and procedures for the approval of teacher preparatory programs that lead to a license issued by DPI.

Under the bill, to be approved by the state superintendent, a teacher preparatory program must demonstrate that it provides instruction that prepares teachers to teach reading and - 2024 Legislature - 4 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 language arts using science-based early reading instruction and that it does not provide instruction on teaching reading and language arts that incorporates three-cueing.

Under current law, DPI may not issue a license that authorizes the license holder to teach reading or language arts in a prekindergarten class or in grades kindergarten to six unless the individual has successfully completed instruction preparing the individual to teach reading using appropriate instructional methods, including phonics.

Current law defines “phonics” as a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups, and syllables.

Under the bill, DPI may not issue a license that authorizes the license holder to teach reading or language arts in a prekindergarten class or in grades kindergarten to six unless the individual has successfully completed instruction preparing the individual to teach reading using science-based early reading instruction, as defined in the bill, that includes phonics and that does not include three-cueing, as defined in the bill.

The bill defines “phonics” as the study of the relationships between sounds and words;

this includes alphabetic principle, decoding, orthographic knowledge, encoding, and fluency.

P ROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING Under the bill, school boards and charter school operators must ensure that all kindergarten to third grade teachers, principals of schools that offer grades kindergarten to three, and reading specialists receive professional development training in science-based early literacy instruction by no later than July 1, 2025.

Under the bill, the mandatory professional development training is the same professional development for which American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 federal funding was allocated.

Specifically, the professional development training must be Voyager Sopris Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) or another program endorsed by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction as an accredited independent teacher training program and must be provided by the Leadership in Literacy Institute or another provider who meets various requirements specified in the bill.

The bill also requires the same professional development training for all faculty or academic staff of the University of Wisconsin System who teach a course that includes curriculum in reading instruction designed for kindergarten to third grade teachers, elementary school principals, or reading specialists.

THIRD GRADE RETENTION POLICIES Under the bill, by January 1, 2025, DPI must establish, by rule, a model policy for promoting third grade pupils to the fourth grade.

Under the bill, the model policy must include various components, including 1) a requirement that a pupil who scores in the lowest proficiency category on the third grade reading assessment be retained in the third grade, 2) a good cause exception for certain pupils, 3) a requirement that the school board provide intensive instructional services, progress monitoring, and supports to a pupil who is retained under the policy, 4) written notice to the pupil's parent, and 5) an intensive summer reading program for pupils who scored in the lowest proficiency category of the third grade reading assessment.

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 5 - FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 By July 1, 2025, the bill requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to adopt written policies for promoting a third grade pupil to the fourth grade that include all of the components that are required to be in DPI's model policy.

Additionally, beginning on September 1, 2028, school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program are prohibited from promoting a third grade pupil unless the pupil complies with their respective promotion policy.

Under current law, school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program must adopt written policies for promoting pupils from grade four to grade five and from grade eight to grade nine and are prohibited from promoting a pupil unless the pupil complies with the applicable promotion policy.

SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SCHOOL REPORT CARDS The bill requires DPI to include in the annual school district and school accountability report, commonly referred to as school and school district report cards, the number and percentage of pupils who scored in the lowest proficiency category on the third grade reading assessment.

The bill requires this information for school districts and schools that offer third grade.

Under the bill, this information must first be included in the report cards for the 2023-24 school year that are published in the fall of the 2024-25 school year.

READING READINESS ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVENTIONS Under current law, school boards and independent charter schools must annually assess pupils enrolled in four-year-old kindergarten to second grade for reading readiness using an assessment of literacy fundamentals selected by the school board or independent charter school.

The selected reading readiness assessment must evaluate whether a pupil possesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.

Current law requires a school board or independent charter school to provide interventions or remedial reading services to a pupil if the reading readiness assessment indicates that the pupil is at risk of reading difficulty with interventions or remedial reading services.

Current law does not define “at-risk.” Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the bill requires school boards and independent charter schools to assess the early literacy skills of pupils in four-year-old kindergarten to third grade using various assessments and to create a personal reading plan for each pupil in five-year-old kindergarten to third grade who is identified as at-risk based on a universal screening assessment or diagnostic assessment.

Under the bill, “at-risk” means the pupil scored below the 25th percentile on an applicable screening assessment, as indicated by the screening assessment publisher.

FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS SCREENING ASSESSMENTS;

FOUR-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN Under the bill, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, school boards and independent charter schools must screen all pupils enrolled in four-year-old kindergarten at least two times each school year using a fundamental skills screening selected by DPI.

The bill specifies that the first screening assessment must occur before the 46th day of the school term and that both screenings be completed - 2024 Legislature - 6 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 by no later than 45 days before the last day of school.

The bill defines a “fundamental skills screening assessment” as an assessment that evaluates a pupil's phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.

U NIVERSAL SCREENING AND DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVENTIONS Required universal screening assessments Under the bill, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, school boards and independent charter schools must screen all pupils enrolled in five-year-old kindergarten to third grade at least three times each school year using a universal screening assessment selected by DPI.

The bill specifies that the first universal screening must occur before the 46th day of the school term, the second universal screening must occur in the middle of the school term, and the third universal screening must occur no later than 45 days before the last day of school.

The bill defines a “universal screening assessment” as an assessment that evaluates a pupil's skill in phonemic awareness, decoding skills, alphabet knowledge, letter sound knowledge, and oral vocabulary.

Required diagnostic assessments Under the bill, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, school boards and independent charter schools must screen a pupil enrolled in five-year-old kindergarten to third grade using a diagnostic assessment 1) if the pupil is identified as at-risk based on the first universal screening of the school year, by no later than the second Friday in November;

2) if the pupil is identified as at-risk based on the second universal screening of the school year, within 10 days after the universal screening was administered;

and 3) if a teacher or parent suspects the pupil has characteristics of dyslexia and submits a request for a diagnostic assessment, within days of submitting the request.

The bill defines a “diagnostic assessment” as a tool that includes an assessment that evaluates a pupil's skill in the skills assessed in a universal screening assessment as well as rapid naming, phonological awareness, word recognition, spelling, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and when developmentally appropriate, oral reading fluency and reading comprehension, and provides the pupil's parent the opportunity to complete a family history survey about learning difficulties in the pupil's family.

If a pupil is identified as at-risk based on a diagnostic assessment, the bill requires the school board or independent charter school to provide information to the pupil's parent about how to make a special education referral.

Personal reading plan;

at-risk pupils If a pupil is identified as at-risk based on a universal screening assessment or a diagnostic assessment, the bill requires the school board or independent charter school to create a personal reading plan for the pupil.

Under the bill, a personal reading plan must include various components related to addressing the pupil's specific early literacy deficiencies, including interventions that will be provided to the pupil, how the pupil's progress will be monitored, and strategies the pupil's parent is encouraged to use to help the pupil achieve grade-level literacy skills.

The bill further requires the school board or independent charter school to 1) provide the interventions included in the personal reading plan to the pupil, as soon as LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 7 - FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 practicable;

2) monitor the pupil's progress at least weekly;

3) provide a copy of the personal reading plan to the pupil's parent;

4) obtain a copy of the reading plan signed by the pupil's parent;

and 5) after 10 weeks of providing the interventions required in the personal reading plan, notify the pupil's parent of the pupil's progress.

SELECTED AND APPROVED EARLY LITERACY ASSESSMENTS Under the bill, by July 15, 2024, DPI must select a fundamental skills screening assessment, select a universal screening assessment, and establish and maintain a list of approved diagnostic assessments on its website.

DPI must also submit a list of the selected and approved assessments to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature.

Under the bill, DPI may only approve an early literacy assessment if the assessment has a sensitivity rate of at least 70 percent, has a specificity rate of at least 80 percent, and includes a growth measure.

STATE FUNDING FOR EARLY LITERACY ASSESSMENTS Under the bill, DPI must pay each school board and independent charter school for the per pupil cost of each early literacy assessment required to be administered under the bill.

However, beginning in the 2025-26 school year, a school board or independent charter school is eligible for the state funding provided in the bill only if the school board or independent charter school submits an annual report to DPI and in that report indicates that the school board or charter school used only selected or approved early literacy assessments in the previous school year.

Under current law, DPI pays school boards and independent charter schools for the per pupil cost of the reading readiness assessment selected by the school board or independent charter school.

P ARENT NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Under the bill, a school board or independent charter school must provide a pupil's results on an early literacy assessment to the pupil's parent by no later than days after the applicable assessment is scored.

The results provided to the parent must be in the parent's native language and must include the pupil's overall score, the pupil's score on each literacy skill category assessed by the assessment, the pupil's percentile rank score, if available, the score on the assessment that indicates a pupil is at-risk, and a plain language explanation of the literacy skills that were evaluated by the assessment.

In addition, if a school board or independent charter school is required to screen a pupil using a diagnostic assessment, the school board or independent charter school must provide the pupil's parent with information related to characteristics of dyslexia, including information about the common indicators of characteristics of dyslexia and appropriate interventions and accommodations for pupils with characteristics of dyslexia.

The bill also requires each school board and independent charter school to have an early literacy remediation plan.

An early literacy remediation plan must include information about assessments used to identify at-risk pupils, the interventions used to address characteristics of dyslexia, and monitoring pupil progress related to early literacy skills.

Under the bill, each school district and independent charter school must post its early literacy remediation plan on its website.

- 2024 Legislature - 8 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 Under current law, a school board or independent charter school must report the results of a reading readiness assessment to a pupil's parent.

Current law does not provide a deadline by which the reading readiness results must be provided to parents.

R EPORTING REQUIREMENTS Under the bill, school boards and independent charter schools must annually, by July 15, report to DPI 1) the number of pupils who were identified as at-risk based on early literacy assessments administered in the previous school year;

2) the number of five-year-old kindergarten to third grade pupils who began receiving literacy interventions or remedial reading services in the previous school year, by grade;

3) the total number of five-year-old kindergarten to third grade pupils who received literacy interventions or remedial reading services in the previous school year;

4) the number of five-year-old kindergarten to third grade pupils who exited literacy interventions in the previous school year;

and 5) the number of pupils for whom a special education referral was made based on the results of a diagnostic assessment.

The school board or independent charter school must also report the names of the diagnostic assessments the school board or independent charter school used to assess pupils in the previous school year.

Annually, by November 30, DPI must compile the information it receives from school boards and independent charter schools and submit a report to the legislature.

E NFORCEMENT The bill allows the parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in four-year-old kindergarten to third grade in a school district or independent charter school to file a complaint with DPI if the parent or guardian believes that the school board or independent charter school operator is not in compliance with requirements in the bill.

Under the bill, DPI must issue a determination on whether the school board or independent charter school is in compliance and, if the school board or independent charter school is not in compliance, describe the actions that must be taken for the school board or independent charter school to be in compliance with the applicable requirements.

If a school board or independent charter school continues to fail to comply with the requirements in the bill, the bill allows an individual who filed a complaint with DPI to bring an action in circuit court to compel the school board or independent charter school to comply with the requirements created in the bill.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

15.01 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 9 - FFK:emw&skw SECTION 1 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 15.01 (6) “Division," “bureau," “section," and “unit" means the subunits of a department or an independent agency, whether specifically created by law or created by the head of the department or the independent agency for the more economic and efficient administration and operation of the programs assigned to the department or independent agency.

The office of credit unions in the department of financial institutions, the office of the inspector general in the department of children and families, the office of the inspector general in the department of health services, and the office of children's mental health in the department of health services have the meaning of “division" under this subsection.

The office of the long-term care ombudsman under the board on aging and long-term care and the office of educational accountability and the office of literacye department of public instruction have the meaning of “bureau" under this subsection.

SECTION 2.

15.374 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

15.374(2) OFFICE OF LITERACYThere is created an office of literacy, to be known as the Wisconsin Reading Center, in the department of public instruction.

The director of the office shall be nominated by the state superintendent of public instruction after consultation with the council on early literacy curricula, and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed, to serve at the pleasure of the state superintendent of public instruction.

SECTION 3.

15.374 (2) of the statutes, as created by 2023 Wisconsin Act ....

(this act), is repealed.

SECTION 4.

15.377 (9) of the statutes is created to read:

15.377 (9) COUNCIL ON EARLY LITERACY CURRICULA(a) There is created in the department of public instruction a council on early literacy curricula composed of 9 members who have knowledge of or experience with science-based early literacy - 2024 Legislature - 10 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 SECTION 4 instruction, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (b), and literacy curricula for pupils in grades kindergarten to 3.

The members of the council shall be appointed for staggered 3-year terms, as follows:.

PageThree 1,members lineappointed 9:by the speaker of the assembly.

delete the material beginning with “providing" and ending with “procedures," on line 10.

PageThree 5,members lineappointed 15:by the senate majority leader.

delete “For" and substitute “Beginning with the accountability report published for the 2024-25 school year, for".

PageThree 5,members lineappointed 16:by the state superintendent of public instruction.

delete(b) theAn materialindividual beginningmay withnot “theserve number"as anda endingmember withof “(r).”the oncouncil lineunder 18this andsubsection substituteif “theany percentage of pupils reading at grade level by the endfollowing ofapplies: 3rd grade.”.

1.

The individual has a financial interest in an entity that develops, sells, or markets a product to assess reading ability.

2.

The individual has a financial interest in an entity that develops, sells, or markets a product specifically intended to be used to teach reading.

3.

The individual has a financial interest in an entity that develops, sells, or markets a product to treat reading difficulties.

(c) For purposes of par.

(b), “financial interest in an entity” includes all of the following:

1.

A direct or indirect ownership interest in the entity.

2.

Receiving income from the entity during the 12 months preceding the consideration for appointment under par.

(a).

SECTION 5.

115.28 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.28(7) (a) License all teachers for the public schools of the state;

make rules establishing standards of attainment and procedures for the examination and licensing of teachers within the limits prescribed in ss.

118.19 (2) and (3), 118.191, 118.1915, 118.192, 118.193, 118.194, 118.195, and 118.197;

prescribe by rule standards, requirements, and procedures for the approval of teacher preparatory LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 11 - FFK:emw&skw SECTION 5 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 programs leading to licensure, including a requirement that, to be approved by the state superintendent, a teacher preparatory program shall demonstrate that it provides instruction that prepares teachers to teach reading and language arts using science-based early reading instruction, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (b), and does not provide instruction on teaching reading and language arts that incorporates 3-cueing, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (c), and a requirement that, beginning on July 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, each teacher preparatory program located in this state shall submit to the department a list of individuals who have completed the program and who have been recommended by the program for licensure under this subsection, together with each individual's date of program completion, from each term or semester of the program's most recently completed academic year;

file in the state superintendent's office all papers relating to state teachers' licenses;

and register each such license.

SECTION 6.

115.38 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.38 (1) (a) Indicators of academic achievement, including the performance of pupils on the tests administered under s.

121.02 (1) (r), the performance of pupils on assessments required under s.

118.016 (3), and the performance of pupils, by subject area, on the statewide assessment examinations administered under s.

118.30.

SECTION 7.

115.385 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

115.385 (1) (e) For a school district other than a union high school district and for each school that offers grade 3 in that school district, the number and percentage of pupils who scored in the lowest proficiency category on the standardized reading test administered under s.

121.02 (1) (r).

SECTION 8.

115.39 of the statutes is created to read:

- 2024 Legislature - 12 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 S ECTION 8 115.39 Literacy coaching program.

(1) D EFINITIONS.In this section:

(a) “CESA region” means the geographic territory within the boundaries of a cooperative educational service agency.

(b) “Eligible school” means any of the following that does not provide instruction that incorporates 3-cueing, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (c), in the core reading curriculum for grades kindergarten to 3:

1.

A public school, including a charter school established under s.

118.40 (2r) or (2x).

2.

A private school participating in a program under s.

118.60 or 119.23.

(c) “Office” means the office of literacy in the department.

(2) L ITERACY COACHING PROGRAM.

The office shall establish and supervise an early literacy coaching program to improve literacy outcomes in this state.

As part of the early literacy coaching program established under this subsection, the office shall, in consultation with cooperative educational service agencies, do all of the following:

(a) Contract with individuals who demonstrate knowledge and expertise in science-based early literacy instruction and instructional practices, and have instructional experience in grades kindergarten to 12 to serve as literacy coaches.

The office may not contract for more than 64 full-time equivalent positions under this paragraph.

(b) Provide ongoing training on science-based early literacy instruction and instructional practices and supervision to individuals with whom the office contracts under par.

(a).

(c) Prohibit literacy coaches from using or promoting instruction that includes 3-cueing, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (c).

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 13 - FFK:emw&skw S ECTION 8 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 (3) PARTICIPATION;

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT(a) The office shall assign one-half of the number of literacy coaches under sub.

(2) (a) as follows:

1.

Based on scores of the standardized reading test administered to pupils during the prior school year under s.

121.02 (1) (r), the office shall identify the 50 eligible schools that had the lowest percentage of pupils score as proficient in reading at grade level and the 50 eligible schools that had the largest gap in pupils who scored as proficient in reading at grade level.

2.

a.

Subject to par.

(c) and subd.

2.

b., from the eligible schools identified under subd.

1., the office shall select the eligible schools that the office determines have the greatest need for early literacy instructional coaching and shall assign at least one but no more than 3 eligible schools selected under this subdivision to each full-time equivalent literacy coach.

b.

From the eligible schools identified under subd.

1., the office shall select at least two eligible schools that are private schools participating in a program under s.

118.60 or 119.23.

(b) The office shall assign one-half of the number of literacy coaches under sub.

(2) (a), in consultation with cooperative educational service agencies, to eligible schools that request early literacy support.

The office shall assign literacy coaches under this paragraph in a manner that allocates the literacy coaches evenly across CESA regions.

(c) 1.

The total number of full-time equivalent literacy coaches assigned under pars.

(a) and (b) to eligible schools located within the geographical boundaries of a school district may not exceed the following:

a.

For a first class city school district, 10.

b.

For a school district other than a first class city school district, 4.

- 2024 Legislature - 14 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 S ECTION 8 2.

The total number of full-time equivalent literacy coaches assigned under pars.

(a) and (b) to eligible schools located within a CESA region may not be fewer than 3.

(d) The office shall ensure that a school assigned a literacy coach under par.

(a) or (b) does not request or require that the literacy coach perform duties outside the individual's role as a literacy coach.

For purposes of this paragraph, the role of a literacy coach is to provide support to administrators, school-based literacy coaches, principals, and teachers to build teacher and school capacity to teach reading and language arts using science-based early reading instruction, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (b), in order to increase the percentage of pupils who are reading at grade level by the end of grade 3.

(4) REPORT.

By October 15, 2024, and by each October 15 thereafter, the office shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance that includes at least all of the following for the previous school year:

(a) The number of literacy coaches assigned to schools under sub.

(3) (a) and (b).

(b) The number of schools that were assigned a literacy coach under sub.

(3) (a) and the number of schools that were assigned a literacy coach under sub.

(3) (b).

(c) The number of contracts that the office entered into under sub.

(2) (a) and the number of contracts under sub.

(2) (a) that were terminated.

(d) The number of requests submitted for a literacy coach under sub.

(3) (b).

(e) The results of the standardized reading test administered under s.

121.02 (1) (r) and assessments under s.

118.016 in schools that were assigned a literacy coach under sub.

(3) (a) or (b).

(f) A description of the training provided under sub.

(2) (b).

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 15 - FFK:emw&skw SECTION 8 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 (g) For the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, the number of individuals who completed the mandatory professional development training under 2023 Wisconsin Act ....

(this act), section 27 (2).

SECTION 9.

115.39 of the statutes, as created by 2023 Wisconsin Act ....

(this act), is repealed.

SECTION 10.

118.015 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

118.015 (title)Reading instruction;

early literacy curricula and instructional materials.

SECTION 11.

118.015 (1c) of the statutes is created to read:

118.015 (1c) DEFINITIONS.In this section:

(a) “Phonics” means the study of the relationships between sounds and words;

this includes alphabetic principle, decoding, orthographic knowledge, encoding, and fluency.

(b) “Science-based early reading instruction” means instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of at least all of the following:

1.

Phonological awareness, including word awareness, rhyme recognition, repetition and creation of alliteration, syllable counting or identification, onset, and rime manipulation.

2.

Phonemic awareness, including phoneme identification, isolation, blending, segmentation, addition, substitution, and deletion.

3.

Phonics.

PageBuilding 19,background lineknowledge. 15:

after that line insert:

“(d) Plan completion;

3rd grade.

A 3rd grade pupil who has a personal reading plan under par.

(a) 1.

is considered to have completed the personal reading plan if the LRBa0364/1 - 2024 Legislature - 2 - FFK:cjs pupil's parent and the pupil's school agree that the pupil has met the goals outlined in the personal reading plan and the pupil scores at grade-level in reading on a summative assessment, as defined by the department by rule.”.

PageOral 22,language linedevelopment. 1:

deleAID.

(a) Payment for costs" and substitutSUPPORT.

(a) Payments and assessments".

PageVocabulary 22,building lineto 4:develop lexical and morphological knowledge.

delete “sub.

(2) or (3)" and substitute “sub.

(3) (b)".

PageInstruction 22,in linewriting. 15:

after- that2024 lineLegislature insert:- 16 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 S ECTION 11 8.

“(c)Instruction Assessments.in comprehension.

The department shall provide to each school board and operator of an independent charter school the reading readiness assessments required for the school board or operator to comply with sub.

(2) and (3) (a), at no cost to the school board or independent charter school.”.

8.

Page 24, line 8:

delete “by rule".

PageReading 24,fluency. line 11:

delete(c) lines“Three-cueing” 11means any model, including the model referred to 13as meaning, structure, and substitute:visual cues, or MSV, of teaching a pupil to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues or memory.

“(a)S AECTION requirement12. that the school board or operator of the charter school under s.

118.40118.015 (2r)(1m) or (2x) do all of the followingstatutes foris acreated pupil promoted to 4thread: grade who had a personal reading plan under s.

118.016118.015 (5)(1m) (a)E 1.ARLY LITERACY CURRICULA AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.

during(a) Beginning in the 3rd2023-24 gradeschool year and whoannually isthereafter, notthe consideredcouncil on early literacy curricula shall recommend to havethe completeddepartment early literacy curricula and instructional materials for use in the personalfollowing readingschool planyear underin s.grades kindergarten to 3.

118.016The (5)council (d):on early literacy curricula may recommend only early literacy curricula and instructional materials that satisfy the following criteria:

The curricula and instructional materials include all of the components of science-based early reading instruction.

2.

The curricula and instructional materials do not include 3-cueing.

(b) 1.

By no later than 30 days after the department receives recommendations under par.

(a), the department shall submit to the joint committee on finance proposed recommendations on early literacy curricula and instructional materials that satisfy the criteria under par.

(a) 1.

and 2.

for use in the following school year.

If the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the department within 14 working days after the date of the submittal of the proposed recommendations that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the proposed recommendations, the department shall adopt the proposed recommendations for use in the following school year.

If, within 14 working days after the date of the submittal of the proposed recommendations, the cochairpersons LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 17 - FFK:emw&skw S ECTION 12 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 of the committee notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the proposed recommendations, the department may not adopt the proposed recommendations unless the committee approves or modifies the proposed recommendations.

If the committee modifies the plan, the department may adopt the recommendations only as modified by the committee.

2.

The department shall maintain on its website a current list of the early literacy curricula and instructional materials recommendations adopted under this paragraph.

(c) 1.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, if a school board, operator of a charter school, or governing body of a private school participating in a program under s.

118.60 or 119.23 adopts a new literacy curriculum for use in grades kindergarten to 3, the school board, operator, or governing body shall adopt a literacy curriculum from the recommendations adopted under par.

(b).

2.

The department shall award grants to reimburse school boards, operators of charter schools, and governing bodies of private schools participating in a program under s.

118.60 or 119.23 that adopt a literacy curriculum from the recommendations adopted under par.

(b) after January 1, 2024.

A grant under this subdivision shall be an amount equal to one-half of the costs of purchasing the literacy curriculum and instructional materials adopted from the recommendations adopted under par.

(b).

If the amount appropriated for this purpose is insufficient to pay the full amount to all grant recipients under this subdivision, the department shall prorate the grant awards among all grant recipients.

(d) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph ....

[LRB inserts date], no school board, operator of an independent charter school, or governing body of a - 2024 Legislature - 18 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 SECTION 12 private school participating in a program under s.

118.60 or 119.23 may purchase curricula or instructional materials that include 3-cueing.

SECTION 13.

118.015 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

118.015 (2) EMPLOYMENT OF READING SPECIALISTS.Each school district shall employ a reading specialist certified by the department to develop and coordinate a comprehensive reading curriculum in grades kindergarten to 12.

At the discretion of the state superintendent, a school district may contract with other school districts or cooperative educational service agencies to employ a certified reading specialist on a cooperative basis.

SECTION 14.

118.015 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

118.015 (3) (a) Develop and implementImplement a reading curriculum in grades kindergarten to 12.

SECTION 15.

118.015 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

118.015 (5) PROHIBITED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES;

3-CUEIBeginning in the 2024-25 school year, no public school, including a charter school, may provide instruction that incorporates 3-cueing in the core reading curriculum for grades kindergarten to 3 or in supplemental materials, including materials used for reading intervention, for pupils in grades kindergarten to 3.

SECTION 16.

118.016 of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

118.016 Reading readiness assessments;

characteristics of dyslexia.

(1) DEFINITIONSIn this section:

(a) “At-risk” means a pupil scored below the 25th percentile on a universal screening assessment or diagnostic assessment, as indicated by the publisher of the assessment.

(b) “Diagnostic assessment” means a tool that includes all of the following:

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 19 - FFK:emw&skw S ECTION 16 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 1.

An assessment that evaluates a pupil's skill in the areas listed in par.

(L) 1.

to 5., rapid naming, phonological awareness, word recognition, spelling, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and, when developmentally appropriate for the pupil, oral reading fluency and reading comprehension.

2.

An opportunity for a pupil's parent to complete a family history survey to provide additional information about learning difficulties in the pupil's family.

(c) “Dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is all of the following:

1.

Neurobiological in origin.

2.

Characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities that typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language.

Consequences of these difficulties may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that may impede vocabulary growth and background knowledge.

3.

Often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities.

(d) “Family history survey” means a questionnaire that includes questions about previous recommendations for summer reading support or outside tutoring, general interest in reading and books, family history of characteristics of dyslexia, and any known family struggles in reading or spelling.

(e) “Fidelity” means to perform in the manner that the author or publisher of a program or assessment intends.

(f) “Fundamental skills screening assessment” means an assessment that evaluates whether a pupil possesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.

- 2024 Legislature - 20 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 SECTION 16 (g) “Inadequate rate of progress” means a pupil's rate of improvement that is minimal and that with continued intervention the pupil is unlikely to demonstrate grade-level skills by the end of the school year.

(h) “Independent charter school” means a charter school established under s.

118.40 (2r) or (2x).

(i) “Intervention” means an intervention that is all of the following:

1.

Explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative and follows a logical plan of presenting the area of deficit that targets the specific needs of the pupil without presuming prior skills or knowledge of the pupil.

2.

Individualized instruction to meet the specific needs of a pupil in a setting that uses intensive, highly concentrated instruction methods and materials that maximize pupil engagement.

3.

Instruction that incorporates the simultaneous use of 2 or more sensory pathways during teacher presentations and pupil practice.

(j) “Parent” has the meaning given in s.

115.76 (12) (a).

(k) “Reading readiness assessment” means a fundamental skills screening assessment, universal screening assessment, or diagnostic assessment.

(L) “Universal screening assessment” means an assessment that evaluates a pupil's skill in all of the following areas:

1.

Phonemic awareness.

2.

Decoding skills.

3.

Alphabet knowledge.

4.

Letter sound knowledge.

5.

Oral Vocabulary.

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 21 - FFK:emw&skw SECTION 16 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 (2) FOUR-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN;

SCREENING REQUIREMENT.

Each school board and the operator of each independent charter school shall annually assess the early literacy skills of each pupil enrolled in 4-year-old kindergarten in the school district or in the independent charter school at least 2 times during the school year using a fundamental skills screening assessment selected by the department.

The school board or operator of the independent charter school shall ensure that the first screening assessment is administered before the 45th day after the first day of the school term and that the 2nd screening assessment is administered by the date that is 45 days before the last day of the school term.

The school board or operator of the independent charter school shall ensure that assessments required under this subsection are administered with fidelity.

(3) EARLY LITERACY ASSESSMENTS;

5-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN TO 3RD GRADEach school board and the operator of each independent charter school shall annually assess the early literacy skills of each pupil enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten to 3rd grade in the school district or in the independent charter school as follows:

(a) Universal screenings.

Screen the pupil at least 3 times during the school year using a universal screening assessment selected by the department.

The school board or operator of the independent charter school shall ensure that the universal screening assessments are administered at the following times during the school year:

1.

The first universal screening assessment is administered before the 45th day after the first day of the school term.

2.

The 2nd universal screening assessment is administered in the middle of the school term, as determined by the school board or operator of the independent charter school.

- 2024 Legislature - 22 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 SECTION 16 3.

The 3rd universal screening assessment is administered by the date that is 45 days before the last day of the school term.

(b) Diagnostic assessment.

Assess a pupil using a diagnostic assessment as follows:

1.

No later than the 2nd Friday of November if a universal screening assessment administered under par.

(a) 1.

indicates that the pupil is at-risk.

2.

Within 10 days after a universal screening assessment is administered under par.

(a) 2.

if the universal screening assessment indicates that the pupil is at-risk.

3.

Within 20 days after a teacher or parent who suspects that the pupil has characteristics of dyslexia submits a request for a diagnostic assessment.

(c) Administering assessments with fidelity.

Ensure that each assessment required under this subsection is administered with fidelity.

(4) PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.(a) Assessment results.

A school board or operator of an independent charter school shall provide the results of a reading readiness assessment, in writing, to a pupil's parent no later than 15 days after the reading readiness assessment is scored.

For purposes of providing results of a reading readiness assessment under this paragraph, a school board or operator of an independent charter school shall provide at least all of the following to a pupil's parent in the native language of the pupil's parent:

1.

The pupil's score on the reading readiness assessment.

2.

The pupil's score in each early literacy skill category assessed by the reading readiness assessment.

3.

The pupil's percentile rank score on the reading readiness assessment, if available.

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 23 - FFK:emw&skw SECTION 16 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 4.

The definition of “at-risk” and the score on the reading readiness assessment that would indicate that a pupil is at-risk.

5.

A plain language description of the literacy skills the reading readiness assessment is designed to measure.

(b) Special education information.

If a diagnostic assessment indicates that a pupil is at-risk, a school board or operator of an independent charter school shall include information about how to make a special education referral under s.

115.777 with the diagnostic assessment results provided to the parent under par.

(a).

(c) Dyslexia information;

certain pupils.

If a school board or operator of an independent charter school is required to assess a pupil's early literacy skills using a diagnostic assessment, a school board or operator of an independent charter school shall provide all of the following, in writing, to the pupil's parent:

1.

A description of the common indicators and characteristics of dyslexia.

2.

Information about appropriate interventions and accommodations for pupils with characteristics of dyslexia.

(d) Early literacy remediation plan;

availability.

A school board or operator of an independent charter school shall post its early literacy remediation plan, as established under sub.

(6), on the school district's or independent charter school's website.

(5) I NTERVENTIONS;

AT-RISK PUPILS(a) Personal reading plans.

If a pupil enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten to 3rd grade is identified as at-risk based on a universal screening assessment or diagnostic assessment, the school board of the school district or operator of the independent charter school in which the pupil is enrolled shall do all of the following:

- 2024 Legislature - 24 - LRB-2748/1 FFK:emw&skw ASSEMBLY BILL 321 SECTION 16 1.

Create a personal reading plan for the pupil that includes at least all of the following:

a.

The pupil's specific early literacy skill deficiencies, as identified by the applicable assessment.

b.

Goals and benchmarks for the pupil's progress toward grade-level literacy skills.

c.

How the pupil's progress will be monitored.

d.

A description of the interventions and any additional instructional services that will be provided to the pupil to address the pupil's early literacy skill deficiencies.

e.

The programming using science-based early reading instruction, as defined in s.

118.015 (1c) (b), that the pupil's teacher will use to provide reading instruction to the pupil, addressing the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

f.

Strategies the pupil's parent is encouraged to use to help the pupil achieve grade-level literacy skills.

g.

Any additional services available and appropriate to accelerate the pupil's early literacy skill development.

2.

Provide the interventions described in the pupil's personal reading plan to the pupil, as soon as practicable.

3.

Monitor the pupil's progress at least weekly using the method described in the pupil's personal reading plan to determine whether the pupil demonstrates an inadequate rate of progress.

4.

Provide a copy of the pupil's personal reading plan to the pupil's parent and obtain a copy of the pupil's personal reading plan signed by the pupil's parent.

LRB-2748/1 - 2024 Legislature - 25 - FFK:emw&skw SECTION 16 ASSEMBLY BILL 321 5.

After providing the interventions described in the pupil's personal reading plan to the pupil for 10 weeks, notify the pupil's parent of the pupil's progress, as determined under the pupil's personal reading plan.

(b) Deadlines for plan creation.

If a school board or operator of an independent charter school is required to create a personal reading plan for a pupil under par.

(a) 1., the school board or operator shall prepare the personal reading plan as follows:

1.

If the pupil is identified as at-risk based on a universal screening assessment administered under sub.

(3) (a) 1.

or based on a diagnostic assessment administered under sub.

(3) (b) 1., no later than the 3rd Friday of November.

2.

If the pupil is identified as at-risk based on a universal screening assessment administered under sub.

(3) (a) 2.

or 3.

or based on a diagnostic assessment administered under sub.

(3) (b) 2.

or 3., within 10 days after the applicable screening assessment is administered.

(c) Inadequate rate of progress.

For purposes of determining whether a pupil demonstrates an inadequate rate of progress under par.

(a) 3., a school board or operator of an independent charter school shall determine whether the pupil is likely to demonstrate grade-level skills by the end of the school year by assessing one of the following:

1.

For a pupil enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten, nonword or nonsense word fluency and phoneme segmentation fluency.

2.

For a pupil enrolled in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade, oral reading fluency.

(6) EARLY LITERACY REMEDIATION PLAN;

SCHOOL DISTRICT OR INDEPENDENT CHARTER SCHOOL.

A school board or operator of an independent charter school shall establish an early literacy remediation plan for grades 5-year-old kindergarten to 3 that includes all of the following: