HB 5821 — Education: curriculum; adoption of elementary reading curriculum materials from department-approved list; require. Amends sec. 1280f of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1280f).

HB-5821, As Passed House, June 10, 2026 SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO.

(a) Subject to subsection (4) and subject to the availability of valid and reliable assessments, approve 3 or more valid and reliable screening and progress-monitoring reading assessments for selection and use by school districts and public school academies CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 in accordance with the following:

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (D) Using data diagnostically to adjust intervention instruction and to understand reasons why a pupil may not be responding to intervention instruction as expected.

(G) Train teachers and school staff to identify and address CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 reading deficiency.

(B) Have sufficient knowledge of scientifically based reading research, special expertise in quality reading instruction and infusing reading strategies into content area instruction, and data CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 management skills.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (b) Professional learning about dyslexia to school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies.

Beginning not later than September 1, 2026, the department shall develop dyslexia expertise to provide technical assistance to school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies regarding the appropriate selection and use at each grade level of reliable and valid universal screening assessments for the identification of pupils who exhibit characteristics of dyslexia and pupils who display CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 difficulties in learning to decode accurately and efficiently, including those described in subsection (1), to minimize the impact on instructional time.

(6) By not later than August 1, 2027, each school district, intermediate school district, and public school academy shall CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 update its selection of a valid and reliable screening and progress-monitoring reading assessment under subsection (9) to ensure that the selected system includes a reliable and valid universal screening assessment in accordance with subsection (4) and the guidance provided by the department under subsection (4), if it does not do so already.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (c) Instructional adjustments for pupils with dyslexia and instructional adjustments to address the underlying factors that place pupils at risk for difficulties in learning to decode accurately and efficiently.

A school district or public school academy periodically shall assess CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 a pupil's progress in reading skills at least 3 times per school year in grades K to 3.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (d) Require a school principal or chief administrator to do all of the following:

(a) For pupils who exhibit a reading deficiency, a reading intervention using intervention curriculum resources and evidence- CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 based practices aligned to the research requirements consistent with the science of reading intended to ensure that pupils are proficient readers by the end of grade 3 and that includes some or all of the following features:

(E) Is implemented during regular school hours in addition to CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 regular classroom reading instruction.

(iii) Provides daily targeted small group or 1-to-1 reading intervention based on pupil needs as determined by assessment data, including explicit and systematic instruction with more detailed CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 and varied explanations, modeling and examples, and more extensive opportunities for guided practice incorporating error correction and feedback for pupils to develop mastery.

(G) A date by which the pupil's teacher, school principal, CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 parent or legal guardian, and other appropriate school staff shall annually review and update the pupil's individual reading improvement plan, including reviewing if the learning goals have been met or when the learning goals will be met.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (i) Language support in word recognition and decoding.

(d) That the parent or legal guardian has the right to request a meeting with school officials to discuss supports and CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 interventions.

(15) By not later than the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year, and each school year thereafter, subject to subsections (17) and (20), a school district, an intermediate school district, or a public school academy shall ensure that each pupil described in this subsection is screened for characteristics of dyslexia and difficulties in learning to decode accurately and efficiently using CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 a reliable and valid universal screening assessment.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (iv) Significant spelling or encoding difficulties not caused by fine-motor or visual-motor difficulties.

(19) Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, for a pupil described in subsection (15)(d), the school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy in which the pupil is enrolled shall ensure that additional assessment data is gathered, CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 including the pupil's historical results on reliable and valid universal screening assessments as available, and shall review this data with the pupil's teacher and school staff to inform the frequency of screening assessments that should be administered to the pupil to avoid unnecessary assessment while effectively assessing whether the pupil demonstrates characteristics of dyslexia, difficulties in learning to decode, or difficulties with word reading that may require an intervention placement for the pupil based on the guidance provided by the department under subsection (5).

(21) Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, a pupil who is an English language learner and who has been assessed at a developing level or higher on a state-required language proficiency assessment, or at a comparable level in accordance with department guidance under subsection (4), must be screened for characteristics CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 of dyslexia and difficulty decoding as appropriate for the pupil's grade level under subsection (15), and, as appropriate and consistent with department guidance, the pupil's screening must include spelling skills, phonemic awareness in the pupil's native language, and oral reading fluency in the pupil's native language.

The department shall establish and maintain a process through which a school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy may submit a locally-developed or self-created literacy curriculum for approval, and shall approve a locally-developed or self-created literacy curriculum if the department determines that the locally-developed or self-created literacy curriculum substantially aligns with CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 evidence-based literacy practices and demonstrates effectiveness in improving student literacy outcomes.

Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, if a reliable and valid universal screening assessment indicates that a pupil is exhibiting CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 characteristics of dyslexia or indicates that the pupil is experiencing difficulty in learning to decode accurately and efficiently, a reading intervention program provided under this section must be part of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).

(A) Prompting pupils to guess unknown words using pictures and CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 illustrations.

However, these instructional methods and curriculum resources must not include instructional methods or curriculum resources that minimize the importance of primarily using letter- CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 sound information to decode or recognize unknown words, including, but not limited to, any of the uses of letter-sound information described in subdivision (c)(iii)(A) to (E), unless such instructional methods and curriculum resources are being used to confirm the meaning of unknown words after decoding has been attempted.

(i) Provide that, for the purposes of subdivision (g), an intervention response team at the school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy in which a pupil described in subdivision (g) is enrolled shall refine the pupil's individual reading improvement plan with the teacher providing the CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 intervention instruction to the pupil under subdivision (g) to meaningfully accelerate reading outcomes.

(27) (26) If the parent or legal guardian of a pupil has an independent, comprehensive evaluation conducted for dyslexia or CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 other learning disabilities, the school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy in which the pupil is enrolled shall ensure that any applicable requirements under the individuals with disabilities education act, Public Law 108-446, are fulfilled.

(30) (29) For pupils identified as English language learners CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 by the pupil's teacher or other school staff or by a state-required language proficiency assessment, if available staff resources allow, a school district or public school academy is encouraged to provide the following intervention services in addition to those required under subsection (10)(c):

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (a) "Benchmark assessment" means an assessment administered periodically throughout a school year and used for 1 or more of the following purposes:

(i) A specific learning disorder that is neurobiological in origin and characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities that CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (j) "Fidelity" means the extent to which an assessment or intervention is implemented as it was designed.

(ii) The ability to consciously manipulate through, including, but not limited to, matching, blending, segmenting, deleting, or CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 substituting, individual speech sounds described in subparagraph (i).

(t) "Science of reading" means a cumulative and evolving body of evidence whose research studies follow a scientific process of inquiry and utilize scientific methods to help answer questions related to reading development and issues related to reading and writing derived from research from multiple fields of cognitive CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 psychology, communication sciences, developmental psychology, education, special education, implementation science, linguistics, and neuroscience.

CRM H06225'26 (H-1)(H-1)_HB5821_APH_1 sfxqzay50pet 1 (w) "Structured literacy" means systematic, direct, explicit, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction that integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing and emphasizes the structure of language across the speech sound system (phonology);

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