Assigned to ED FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2026
literacy endorsement; noncertificated teachers
(NOW: early literacy; reading plans)
Purpose
Requires a school district or charter school that is assigned an A or B letter grade (A or B
school district or charter school) to submit the K-3 reading plan annually and modifies
requirements for the third-grade promotion of a student who does not pass the reading portion on
the statewide assessment.
Background
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) administers the K-3 Reading Program to
improve reading proficiency for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through three in
public schools. Each school district and charter school must submit to ADE a K-3 reading plan
for improving reading proficiency for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through
three. A K-3 reading plan must include baseline data on pupil reading proficiency and a budget for
spending K-3 support level and K-3 reading support level weights. Each school district and charter
school must annually submit to ADE an updated K-3 reading plan with data on program
expenditures and results. An A or B school district or charter school is only required to submit the
plan in odd-numbered years (A.R.S. § 15-211).
Competency requirements for promotion of pupils from third grade must require a pupil to
be retained if the pupil does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills on the reading portion of the
statewide assessment. A school district governing board or charter school governing body may
promote pupils in outlined categories who do not demonstrate sufficient reading skills, including
an English learner or limited English proficient student who has had fewer than two years of
English language instruction (A.R.S. § 15-701).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Subjects A or B school districts and charter schools to the requirement to submit the K-3
reading plan annually, rather than only in odd-numbered years.
2. Prohibits a pupil from being retained in third grade more than once for not passing the reading
portion of the statewide assessment.
3. Allows promotion from third grade for an English learner or limited English proficient student
with fewer than three, rather than fewer than two, years of English instruction. FACT SHEET
H.B. 2026
Page 2
4. Replaces phonemic awareness with phonological awareness in the skills a teacher must be
capable of effectively teaching to receive a literacy endorsement.
5. Makes technical and conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 2/15/22 DPA/SE 9-1-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/22/22 46-13-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 18, 2022
LB/slp