HB 6620 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE RIGHT TO READ AND ADDRESSING OPPORTUNITY GAPS AND EQUITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

(e)650 (1)9 [AnysHB6620 studentFile enrolled in a school selected by the Commissioner of Education that is located in a priority school district, LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06629 of 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 pursuant to sectionprovide 10-266p,supplemental to participate in the intensive reading instructioninstruction, programincluding understrategies this section and who is reading below proficiency at the end of the school year shall be enrolled in] Each local and regional board of education for a town designated as an alliance district shall, in consultation with the directorparent ofor theguardian Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, provide any student in kindergarten to gradeuse five, inclusive, who is reading below proficiency at thehome end of the school year with ansuch intensivestudent. summer school reading instruction program.

(e) (1) [Any student enrolled in a school selected by the Commissioner of Education that is located in a priority school district, pursuant to section 10-266p, to participate in the intensive reading instruction program under this section and who is reading below proficiency at the end of the school year shall be enrolled in] Each local and regional board of education for a town designated as an alliance district shall, in consultation with the director of the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, provide any student in kindergarten to grade five, inclusive, who is reading below proficiency at the end of the school year with an intensive summer school reading instruction program.

(f)sHB6620 Not/ laterFile than October 1, [2015] 2021, and annually thereafter, the department shall report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on student reading LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06610 of 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 levels10 [insHB6620 schoolsFile participating]No. in the intensive reading instruction program.

650 (f) Not later than October 1, [2015] 2021, and annually thereafter, the department shall report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on student reading levels [in schools participating] in the intensive reading instruction program.

On or before January 1, [2014] 2021, the Department of Education, in collaborationwiththeCenterforcollaborationwiththeCenterforLiteracyResearchandReadingSuccess LiteracyResearchandReadingSuccess established pursuant to section 9 of this act, shall develop a coordinated state-wide reading plan for students in kindergarten to grade [three] five, inclusive, that contains strategies and frameworks that are research-driven to produce effective reading instruction and improvement in student performance.

(8) parental involvement by providing parents and guardians of students with opportunities for partnering with teachers and school administrators to (A) create an optimal learning environment,sHB6620 and/ (B)File receiveNo. updates on the reading progress of their student;

650 11 sHB6620 File No.

650 environment, and (B) receive updates on the reading progress of their student;

LCO(10) {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06611incentives offor 22schools R02-HB.docxthat }have Substitutedemonstrated Billsignificant No.improvement in student reading;

6620 (10) incentives for schools that have demonstrated significant improvement in student reading;

(1) Whether such school or school district has developed and is implementing a multiyear plan and allocated resources specifically for early literacy in kindergarten to grade [three] five, inclusive, (2) whether teachers and administrators have received training regarding the science of teaching reading, and the extent to which teachers and administrators have completed the program of professional development in scientifically based reading research and instruction, pursuant to section 10-148b, (3) the level of access to external coaches in literacy, and (4) whether there issHB6620 reading/ interventionFile staffNo. embedded at such school or in the school district.

LCO650 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-0661212 ofsHB6620 22File R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 (b)is Thereading departmentintervention shallstaff identifyembedded theat earlysuch literacy needs of each school andor school district described in subsection (a) of this section based on the resultsschool ofdistrict. the reading readiness assessment conducted pursuant to [said] subsection (a) of this section, and provide, in collaboration with the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, tiered supports in early literacy as follows:

(b) The department shall identify the early literacy needs of each school and school district described in subsection (a) of this section based on the results of the reading readiness assessment conducted pursuant to [said] subsection (a) of this section, and provide, in collaboration with the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, tiered supports in early literacy as follows:

(2) Tier two targeted supports shall include (A) a two-year program of literacy leadership training for certain teachers and administrators, (B) targeted professional development, in accordance with the provisionsofsection10-148b,using theresultsofthereadingtheresultsof thereading instruction survey, as described in section 10-145r, and (C) external coaching support using funding received pursuant to section 10-223h or 10-262u, as amended by this act;

(c) Any tiered supports in early literacy provided under this section shallsHB6620 be/ alignedFile with any turnaround plan, developed pursuant to section 10-223h, or alliance district plan, developed pursuant to section LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06613 of 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 10-262u,13 assHB6620 amendedFile byNo. this act, as applicable.

650 shall be aligned with any turnaround plan, developed pursuant to section 10-223h, or alliance district plan, developed pursuant to section 10-262u, as amended by this act, as applicable.

(7) serving as a collaborative center for institutions of higher education and making available to the faculty of teacher preparation programs (A) the science ofsHB6620 teaching/ reading,File (B) the intensive reading instruction program, and LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06614 of 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 (C)14 samplessHB6620 ofFile availableNo. reading curriculum models or programs adopted pursuant to section 2 of this act;

650 of teaching reading, (B) the intensive reading instruction program, and (C) samples of available reading curriculum models or programs adopted pursuant to section 2 of this act;

The Reading Leadership LCOsHB6620 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06615/ ofFile 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 Implementation15 CouncilsHB6620 mayFile establishNo. an advisory board that consists of representatives from public, private and philanthropic organizations, and is responsible for providing advice, guidance and resources for the center's goals and mission.

650 Implementation Council may establish an advisory board that consists of representatives from public, private and philanthropic organizations, and is responsible for providing advice, guidance and resources for the center's goals and mission.

The director shall be responsible for (1) administering the intensive reading instruction program to improve student literacy in kindergarten to grade [three] five, inclusive, and close [the achievement gap] opportunity gaps, pursuant to section 10-14u, as amended by this act, (2) assisting in the development and administration of the program of professional development for teachers and principals in scientifically based reading research and instruction, pursuant to section 10-148b, (3) administering the coordinated state-wide reading plan for students in kindergarten to grade [three] five, inclusive, pursuant to section 10-14v, as amended by this act, (4) administering the incentive program described in section 10-14w, (5) providing assistance to local and regional boards of education in the administration of the reading assessments described in section 10-14t, as amended by this act, and the implementation of school district reading plans, (6) providing informationandassistancetoparentsandguardiansofstudentsrelating to reading and literacy instruction, (7) addressing reading and literacy LCOsHB6620 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06616/ ofFile 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620650 issues16 relatedsHB6620 toFile studentsNo. who are English language learners, [and] (8) developing andadministering any other state-widereading and literacy initiatives for students in kindergarten to grade twelve, inclusive, and (9) supporting the development of research-based virtual and remote literacy learning models and curricula.

650 issues related to students who are English language learners, [and] (8) developing andadministering any other state-widereading and literacy initiatives for students in kindergarten to grade twelve, inclusive, and (9) supporting the development of research-based virtual and remote literacy learning models and curricula.

Such talent strategy may include provisions that demonstrate increased ability to attract, retain, promote LCOand {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06617bolster the performance of 22staff R02-HB.docxin }accordance Substitutewith Billperformance sHB6620 / File No.

6620650 and17 bolstersHB6620 theFile performanceNo. of staff in accordance with performance evaluation findings and, in the case of new personnel, other indicators of effectiveness, (5) training for school leaders and other staff on new teacher evaluation models, (6) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with early childhood education providers to ensure alignment with district expectations for student entry into kindergarten, including funding for an existing local Head Start program, (7) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with other governmental and community programs to ensure that students receive adequate support and wraparound services, including community school models, (8) provisions for implementing and furthering state- wide education standards adopted by the State Board of Education and allactivitiesandinitiativesassociatedwithsuchstandards,(9) strategies for attracting and recruiting minority teachers and administrators, (10) provisions for the enhancement of bilingual education programs, pursuant to section 10-17f, or other language acquisition services to English language learners, including, but not limited to, participation in the English language learner pilot program, established pursuant to section 10-17n, (11) entering into the model school district responsibilities agreement, described in section 10-223l, (12) leadership succession plans that provide training and learning opportunities for administrators and are designed to assist in the seamless transition of school and district personnel in and out of leadership positions in the school district and the continuous implementation of plans developed under this subsection, and (13) any additional categories or goals as determined by the commissioner.

650 evaluation findings and, in the case of new personnel, other indicators of effectiveness, (5) training for school leaders and other staff on new teacher evaluation models, (6) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with early childhood education providers to ensure alignment with district expectations for student entry into kindergarten, including funding for an existing local Head Start program, (7) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with other governmental and community programs to ensure that students receive adequate support and wraparound services, including community school models, (8) provisions for implementing and furthering state- wide education standards adopted by the State Board of Education and allactivitiesandinitiativesassociatedwithsuchstandards,(9) strategies for attracting and recruiting minority teachers and administrators, (10) provisions for the enhancement of bilingual education programs, pursuant to section 10-17f, or other language acquisition services to English language learners, including, but not limited to, participation in the English language learner pilot program, established pursuant to section 10-17n, (11) entering into the model school district responsibilities agreement, described in section 10-223l, (12) leadership succession plans that provide training and learning opportunities for administrators and are designed to assist in the seamless transition of school and district personnel in and out of leadership positions in the school district and the continuous implementation of plans developed under this subsection, and (13) any additional categories or goals as determined by the commissioner.

The commissioner may (A) require changes in any plan submitted by a local or regional board of education before the commissioner approves an application under this subsection, and (B) permit a local or regional board of education, as part of such plan, to use a portion of any funds received under this section for the purposes of paying tuition charged to such board pursuant to subdivision (1) of LCOsubsection {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06618(k) of 22section R02-HB.docx10-264l }or Substitutesubsection Bill(b) No.of section 10-264o.

6620sHB6620 subsection/ (k)File ofNo. section 10-264l or subsection (b) of section 10-264o.

Sec.650 18 sHB6620 File No.

650 Sec.

(a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school year LCOthereafter, {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-0662019each local and regional board of 22education R02-HB.docxshall }include SubstituteAfrican-American Billand black studies and Puerto Rican and Latino studies as part of the curriculum for the school district, pursuant to sHB6620 / File No.

6620650 thereafter,19 eachsHB6620 localFile andNo. regional board of education shall include African-American and black studies and Puerto Rican and Latino studies as part of the curriculum for the school district, pursuant to section 10-16b, as amended by this act.

650 section 10-16b, as amended by this act.

(2) Not later than January 15, 2021, the state board, in consultation with the State Education Resource Center, shall submit a description of the black and Latino studies course, which includes the scope and sequence and course objective, and a report on the development and review of such course to the joint standing committee of the General LCOAssembly {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06620having cognizance of 22matters R02-HB.docxrelating }to Substituteeducation, Billin No.accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

6620(b) AssemblyThe havingState cognizanceEducation ofResource mattersCenter relatingshall todevelop education,a inblack accordanceand withsHB6620 the/ provisionsFile ofNo. section 11-4a.

(b)650 The20 StatesHB6620 EducationFile ResourceNo. Center shall develop a black and Latino studies course.

650 Latino studies course.

6 July 1, 2021 10-14u LCOSec. {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-0662021 of 22 R02-HB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

6620 Sec.

11 July 1, 2021 10-262u(d) Sec.sHB6620 / File No.

650 21 sHB6620 File No.

650 Sec.

ED Joint Favorable C/R APP APP Joint Favorable Subst.-LCO LCOsHB6620 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06620-/ 22File ofNo. 22 R02-HB.docx }

650 22 sHB6620 File No.

650 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $ Education, Dept.

GF - Cost 510,000 510,000 State Comptroller - Fringe GF - Cost 210,630 210,630 Benefits Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

Municipalities Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $ Alliance Districts STATE 600,000 per 600,000 per MANDATE 2 district district - Cost Explanation ThebillresultsincoststoAllianceDistrictsofapproximately$600,000 annually and to the state of $720,630 annually, beginning in FY 22, due to the bill's requirements.

The bill results in a cost to Alliance Districts associated with hiring additional staff in order to implement the additional reading requirements contained within the bill.

It is anticipated that each Alliance District would require one literacy coach and three additional reading interventionists, for a total cost to each Alliance District of approximately $480,000.

Statewide this yields a cost of approximately 1The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts administered by the Comptroller.

The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost associated with most personnel changes is 41.3% of payroll in FY 22 and FY 23.

2State mandate is defined in Sec.

2-32b(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes, "state mandate" means any state initiated constitutional, statutory or executive action that requires a local government to establish, expand or modify its activities in such a way as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues.

sHB6620 / File No.

650 23 sHB6620 File No.

650 $15.8 million for all33 Alliance Districts.Additionally,Alliance Districts would require $120,000 per district to provide summer school staffing support.

The bill also requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to establish the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, which is anticipated to result in a cost to SDE of approximately $510,000 associated with hiring a Director, an Executive Assistant, an Associate Director, and two Education Consultants.

In addition to salary costs, there would be a cost of $210,630 in both FY 22 and FY 23 associated with fringe benefits.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

sHB6620 / File No.

650 24 sHB6620 File No.

650 OLR Bill Analysis HB 6620 AN ACT CONCERNING THE RIGHT TO READ AND ADDRESSING OPPORTUNITY GAPS AND EQUITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SUMMARY This bill makes many changes in state law regarding school reading programs and creates a new Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success (i.e., “literacy center”) with the authority to approve at least five reading curriculum models or programs that must be used by local and regional boards of education.

The bill (1) allows local boards to ask the education commissioner for more time to implement the models or programs and (2) creates a waiver process where local boards can seek approval to use a different model or program.

The State Department of Education (SDE) must establish the literacy center and the bill details the center’s responsibilities, including hiring reading coaches to be used at the local school district level.

The bill makes changes in several reading and literacy related laws and programs including:

1.

adding a definition of reading to the required program of instruction at all public schools (§ 4);

2.

expanding grade levels that reading assessments must be used to determine reading proficiency from kindergarten to grade 3 under current law by adding grades 4 and 5 (§ 5);

3.

broadening theintensive reading instructionprogramby making it available to all alliance districts (§ 6);

and sHB6620 / File No.

650 25 sHB6620 File No.

650 4.

making several changes to the reading readiness program (§ 8) and the duties of the state director of reading initiatives (§ 10).

Finally, the bill makes the following changes unrelated to reading programs:

1.

conforms the education anti-discrimination law to the definition of race in state human rights statute as amended by PA 21-2, thus including hair and hairstyles in the definition (§ 12);

2.

requires the high school course in black and Latino studies that will be offered in the 2022-2023 school year to also be offered in each following year (§ 13);

3.

allows school districts to accept donations related to professional development and in-service training for the required African- American and black studies and Puerto Rican and Latino studies curriculum (§ 14);

and 4.

requires the State Education Resource Center (SERC) to provide technical assistance to boards of education for their professional development and in-service training regarding the black and Latino studies course (§ 15).

The bill also replaces the term “achievement gap” with “opportunity gap” in the laws regarding the intensive reading instruction program and the reading and math curricula that SDE must develop.

Under the bill, an opportunity gap has the same meaning as achievement gap under current law:

the existence of a significant disparity in the academic performance of students among and between (1) racial groups, (2) ethnic groups, (3) socioeconomic groups, (4) genders, and (5) English language learners and students whose primary language is English.

Under current law, the five areas of reading for the intensive reading program are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension.

The bill specifies “vocabulary development,” instead of just “vocabulary.” It also keeps “fluency” and replaces “text sHB6620 / File No.

650 26 sHB6620 File No.

650 comprehension” with “reading fluency, including oral skills and reading comprehension.” Additionally, the bill adds this definition of the five areas of reading to a curriculum waiver provision (§ 1), the literacy center’s approved reading curricula (§ 2), and the required program of instruction all school districts (§ 4).

The bill also makes numerous conforming and technical changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2021, except the provisions regarding the anti-discrimination law (§ 12) and the black and Latino studies course (§ 13) are upon passage.

§§ 1 & 2 — Required Prekindergarten to Grade 5 Reading Curriculum Model or Program Curriculum Model or Program (§ 1) The bill requires each local and regional board of education to implement each year, beginning July 1, 2023, a reading curriculum model or program for grades prekindergarten to 5, inclusive, that has been approved by the literacy center.

It requires each board, by July 1, 2023, and biennially thereafter, to notify the education commissioner and the literacy center of which reading curriculum model or program that the board is implementing.

The bill allows boards that can demonstrate to the commissioner that they have insufficient resources or funding to request more time to implement the model or program if the board shows continued efforts to implement a reading curriculum model or program.

(The bill does not specify how much additional time the commissioner may grant.) Curriculum Requirement Waiver (§ 1) The bill sets criteria for the commissioner to grant a waiver to the requirement for a school district to use one of the literacy center- approved curriculum models or programs.

A local or regional board of education can request a waiver to use an alternative reading curriculum model or program if it is (1) evidenced-based and scientifically-based and(2)focused oncompetency inthefive areasofreading:

(a)phonemic sHB6620 / File No.

650 27 sHB6620 File No.

650 awareness, (b) phonics, (c) fluency, (d) vocabulary development, and (e) reading fluency, including oral skills and reading comprehension, as determined by the commissioner in consultation with the center.

Five Approved Reading Curriculum Models or Programs (§ 2) The bill requirestheliteracy center to approve, by July 1, 2022,at least five reading curriculum models or programs to be implemented by boards of education.

The models or programs approved must be (1) evidence-based and scientifically-based and (2) focused on competency in same five areas of reading described above.

§ 9 — Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success Center Responsibilities The bill requires SDE to create the literacy center and specifies its duties.

In addition to approving at least five reading curriculum models or programs (as mentioned above), the center is responsible for:

1.

receiving and publicly reporting, by September 1, 2023, and biennially thereafter, the reading curriculum model or program being implemented by each board of education as required under the bill;

2.

conducting independent random reviews of school districts’ implementation of (a) a reading curriculum model or program required under the bill and (b) an approved reading assessment (see § 5);

3.

collaborating with SDE to implement the statewide reading plan for students in kindergarten to grade five that is amended under the bill (see § 7);

4.

researching and developing, in collaboration with SDE and the Office of Early Childhood, a birth to grade 12 reading success strategy to be included in the alignment of reading instruction with the state’s two-generational initiative established in statute;

5.

providing direct support to schools and boards of education to sHB6620 / File No.

650 28 sHB6620 File No.

650 improve reading outcomes for students in kindergarten to grade five, inclusive, and other reading initiatives;

6.

supporting the community of teachers, schools, and boards engaged in improvement through coaching, leadership training, professional development, parental engagement, and technical assistance that is consistent with the existing intensive reading instruction program (see § 6) and aligned with evidence-based practices;

7.

developing and maintaining an internet website to disseminate tools and information associated with the intensive reading instruction program for student reading;

8.

serving as a collaborative center for institutions of higher education and making available to the faculty of teacher preparation programs (a) materials related to the science of teaching reading, (b) the intensive reading instruction program, and (c) samples of available reading curriculum models or programs adopted under the bill;

9.

reviewing and publicly reporting on progress made by teacher preparation programs to include reading curriculum models or programs adopted under the bill;

and 10.

supporting the development of research-based, successful virtual and remote literacy development strategies.

Center Director The billrequirestheliteracy center‘sdirector,inconsultationwiththe Reading Leadership Implementation Council (see below), to be responsible for (1) overseeing the center’s activities;

(2) facilitating communicationbetweenthecenter,boardsofeducation,SDE,andother affiliates of the center;

and (3) coordinating the dissemination of information, tools, and services made available by the center.

Reading Leadership Implementation Council sHB6620 / File No.

650 29 sHB6620 File No.

650 The bill requires the literacy center’s activities to be implemented by the Reading Leadership Implementation Council.

Under the bill, the council consists of the following members:

1.

the center’s director or the director's designee;

2.

SDE’s director of reading initiatives;

3.

the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity’s executive director or his designee;

4.

an individual the governor chooses who has experience in literacy or education and is engaged in the development and implementation of the intensive reading instruction program;

5.

two individuals the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus chairperson chooses, one of whom has experience with literacy or education and is engaged in the development and implementation of the intensive reading instruction program, as long as the individual is not a member of the General Assembly;

and 6.

the dean of the UConn’s Neag School of Education or the dean's designee.

The council must develop and publish the annual goals for the center and meet at least once every two months.

The council may establish an advisory board that consists of representatives from public, private, and philanthropic organizations, and is responsible for providing advice, guidance and resources for the center’s goals and mission.

Reading Coaches The bill requires the literacy center to hire reading coaches who have experience and expertise in the intensive reading instruction program that is amended in the bill (§ 6).

(Presumably, the coaches working in the program under current law gain experience in local districts.

It is otherwise unclear how coaches could have experience in the intensive reading instruction program before the center has implemented this new version of it.) sHB6620 / File No.

650 30 sHB6620 File No.

650 These coaches must:

1.

provide training and professional development on the intensive reading instruction program, literacy leadership, and effective instruction to teachers;

2.

work directly with teachers to support the implementation of the intensive reading instruction program and attend school district leadership, data, and planning meetings;

3.

provide coaching to teachers;

and 4.

lead and participate in family engagement activities.

§ 3 — Reading and math Curricula Developed by SDE Current law requires SDE to approve and make available model curricula and frameworks in reading and math for prekindergarten to grade four, inclusive, to be used by school districts or individual schools that SDE has identified as having academic achievement gaps.

The bill removes reading curricula and frameworks from this requirement and replaces the term “achievement gap” with “opportunity gap.” § 4 — Defining Reading in the Required Program of Instruction for schools By law, school districts must provide certain subjects and topics in the program of instruction they offer to their students.

This includes language arts, including reading, writing, grammar, speaking, and spelling.

The bill adds the definition of “reading” as evidenced-based instruction that focuses on competency in the five areas of reading as mentioned above.

§ 5 — Reading Assessments The bill requires the literacy center, rather than SDE, to compile a list of approved reading assessments for use by boards of education to identify children reading below proficiency.

On or before January 1, 2022, the literacy center must compile the list of approved reading assessments for the school year beginning July 1, 2023, and each year sHB6620 / File No.

650 31 sHB6620 File No.

650 after.

The bill eliminates SDE’s duty to develop the assessments beginning July 1, 2021.

(Since the bill does not begin the requirement for the center’s assessment until July 1, 2023, it appears there will be no assessment for the 2022 school year.) The bill also expands the grade levels for which the assessment must be used from the current kindergarten to grade 3 to kindergarten to grade 5.

The bill keeps the existing requirements that the assessments, among other things,(1) measure phonics, phonemicawareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;

(2) provide opportunities for periodic formative assessment during the school year;

(3) produce data that is useful for informing individual and classroom instruction;

and (4) assist in identifying, in whole or in part, students at risk for dyslexia or other reading-related learning disabilities.

The bill also requires the commissioner to report, by January 15, 2022, the list of approved reading assessments to the Education Committee.

§ 6 — Intensive Reading Instruction Program The bill broadens the intensive reading instruction program by requiring the education commissioner to provide the program to any alliance district board of education that requests it.

By law the intensive reading program has several components including (1) an intensive reading intervention strategy, (2) supplemental reading instruction,and (3) a summer reading program.

(It is not clear how all the components of the reading instruction program are implemented as, under the bill, the reading instruction program must be provided to alliance districts that request it;

but other components, such as the supplemental reading instruction and a summer reading program, are mandatory for all alliance districts.) Alliance districts are the 33 lowest performing school districts based on the district’s accountability index (AI) score (see BACKGROUND).

The commissioner may choose to includetheintensive reading program in the tiered supports in early literacy provided under the reading readiness program.

sHB6620 / File No.

650 32 sHB6620 File No.

650 Under current law the commissioner chooses five elementary schools that are (1) located in an educational reform district (the 10 school districts with the lowest AI scores), (2) participating in the commissioner’s network of schools, or (3) among the lowest 5% of elementary schools AI scores for reading and mathematics.

She may select five additional elementary schools each school year.

Under the bill, for the school year beginning July 1, 2021, and each year after, the commissioner must consult with the literacy center director in creating the intensive reading program, which the bill expands to cover grades 4 and 5, in addition to current law’s kindergarten through grade 3.

The bill modifies the intensive reading program components including (1) the intensive reading intervention strategy for each participating school, including literacy coaches;

(2) the supplemental reading instruction, including a reading remediation plan for each student identified with a reading deficiency;

(3) summer school for any student whosereading levelisbelowproficiency at theendoftheschool year;

and (4) the required reporting to the Education Committee.

Intensive Reading Intervention Strategy As part of the reading program, current law requires SDE to develop an intensive reading intervention strategy to ensure all students are reading proficiently by grade 3.

Under the bill, SDE must consult with theliteracy centerto developthestrategythatwillbeusedby analliance district elementaryschoolwithstudentswhoare notreadingatorabove grade level to ensure the students are reading proficiently by grade 5.

Under current law, the strategy must include one SDE-funded external literacy coach for each school and four SDE-funded reading interventionists for each school.

The bill eliminates (1) the specific number of coaches and interventionists and instead says coaches and interventionists will be made available to the schools and (2) the current law’s requirement that SDE funds the coaches and reading interventionists.

sHB6620 / File No.

650 33 sHB6620 File No.

650 Other aspects are left unchanged, including that the strategy include:

1.

rigorous assessments in reading skills, 2.

scientifically-based reading research and instruction, 3.

training for teachers and administrators in scientifically-based reading research and instruction, including, training for school administrators on how to assess a classroom to ensure that all children are proficient in reading.

Supplemental Reading Instruction Starting with the school year beginning July 1, 2021, each alliance district board of education, in consultation with the literacy center director, must provide supplemental reading instruction for students in kindergarten to grade 5, inclusive, who are reading below proficiency.

Under current law, only schools selected by the commissioner must provide the supplemental instruction, and only for grades kindergarten to grade 3.

The reading interventionists must develop a reading remediation plan for any student who is below proficiency and enrolled in an elementary school in an alliance district.

The bill makes conforming changes regarding notification of parents or guardians of students, grades kindergarten to 5, who have been identified as being below proficiency in reading and will receive these services.

The bill requires each alliance district board of education that provides supplemental reading instruction through the intensive reading program to report to SDE in a time and manner the agency requires on reading progress for each student and the specific reading interventions and supports that were implemented.

Intensive Summer Reading Program Under current law, any student of a priority school district who is in the intensive reading program and is reading below proficiency at the sHB6620 / File No.

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650 end of the school year must be enrolled in an intensive summer school reading program that includes required components, such as a comprehensive reading intervention and scientifically-based reading research and instruction strategies.

The bill expands this requirement to alliance districts, of which there are 33 compared to 15 priority school districts.

The bill requires each alliance district board of education to, in consultation with the literacy center director, provide any student in kindergarten to grade 5, who is reading below proficiency at the end of the school year, the intensive summer reading instruction program.

Reporting Requirement The bill requires, by October 1, 2021, and each year after, SDE to report to the Education Committee on student reading levels in the intensive reading program, including recommendations on model components of the school reading intervention strategy that may be replicated in other alliance districts.

§ 7 — Statewide Reading Plan The bill expands the existing statewide reading plan that currently applies to students in kindergarten to grade 3, by adding grades 4 and 5.

It requires the plan to be developed by January 1, 2021, in collaboration with the literacy center (see COMMENT).

The plan must be modified to include the alignment of reading standards, instruction, and assessment for students in kindergarten to grade 5, rather than grade 3.

§ 8 — Reading Readiness program The bill requires SDE to operate the reading readiness program, which, under existing law, provides tiered early literacy supports to alliance districts, in collaboration with the literacy center.

Also, SDE must conduct reading readiness assessments for students in these districts in grades 4 and 5, in addition to current law’s kindergarten to grade 3.

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650 Under current law, SDE provides three tiers of early literacy supports and the bill requires the supports be provided in collaboration with the literacy center.

Also, the bill expands the tier I supports of online professional development modules in literacy, including the reading instruction survey, to all alliance districts rather than the 10 educational reform districts.

§ 10 — Director of Reading Initiatives Under current law, thedirector ofreading initiatives has many duties including administering the intensive reading program (§ 6) and the statewidereadingplan(§7).The billmakesconformingchangestothese duties by expanding the grade range from kindergarten to grade 3 to kindergarten to grade 5 and replacing “achievement gap” with “opportunity gap.” The bill also gives the director the new duty of supporting development of research-based virtual and remote literacy learning models and curricula.

§ 12 — Anti-discrimination law and Hairstyles The bill modifies the education anti-discrimination law to conform the definition of race to the definition in the human rights statute as amended by PA 21-2 (HB 6515).

Current education law states a child has equal opportunity to participate in school and related activities without discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.

PA 21-2 expands the definition of race to include ethnic traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles.

Under the act, protective hairstyles include wigs, headwraps, and hairstyles such as individual braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros, and afro puffs.

§ 13 — Black and Latino Studies Course The bill requires the high school course in black and Latino studies, which under current law is required to be offered in the 2022-2023 school year to be also offered in each following school year.

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650 §§ 14 & 15 — Professional Development for Black and Latino Studies Course For each school year, beginning with the 2021-2022 year, the bill requires the State Education Resource Center to provide technical assistance to local boards of education for their professional development and in-service training regarding the black and Latino studies course.

The bill also expands the law that allows school districts to accept gifts, grants, and donations to support the development of the required African-American and black studies and Puerto Rican and Latino studies curriculum to allow them to accept gifts, grants, and donations for the related professional development and in-service training.

BACKGROUND Accountability Index Scores “Accountability index” for a school district or an individual school means the score resulting from multiple weighted measures that (1) include the mastery test scores (i.e., the performance index score) and, if appropriate, high school graduation rates, and (2) may include academic growth over time, attendance and chronic absenteeism, postsecondary education and career readiness, enrollment in and graduation from institutions of higher education and postsecondary education programs, civics and arts education, and physical fitness (CGS § 10-223e(a)).

COMMENT Date Issue The bill requires SDE to develop a statewide reading plan (§ 7) for students in kindergarten to grade 5 by January 1, 2021, a date that has already passed.

COMMITTEE ACTION Education Committee Joint Favorable Change of Reference - APP sHB6620 / File No.

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650 Yea 35 Nay 3 (03/29/2021) Appropriations Committee Joint Favorable Yea 40 Nay 10 (04/21/2021) sHB6620 / File No.

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