Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1309 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to reading interventions and 2
16	16	instruction; amending s. 1001.215, F.S.; requiring the 3
17	17	Just Read, Florida! Office to work with the Florida 4
18	18	Center for Reading Research to identify specified 5
19	19	personnel to receive training in the delivery of 6
20	20	specified reading instruction and interventions; 7
21	21	amending s. 1003.4201, F.S.; requiring intensive 8
22	22	reading instruction to be provided to certain 9
23	23	students; providing requirements for such instruction; 10
24	24	revising the requirements of school district reading 11
25	25	instruction plans to include the deployment of 12
26	26	specified personnel; revising the duties of the 13
27	27	Department of Education relating to such plans; 14
28	28	amending s. 1004.645, F.S .; requiring the Florida 15
29	29	Center for Reading Research, contingent upon funding, 16
30	30	to develop specified content relating to training for 17
31	31	certain personnel; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; revising 18
32	32	the requirements for school district professional 19
33	33	learning systems to include the delivery of specified 20
34	34	instruction and interventions; providing an effective 21
35	35	date. 22
36	36	23
37	37	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 24
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47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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51	51	Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 1001.215, Florida 26
52	52	Statutes, is amended to read: 27
53	53	1001.215 Just Read, Florida! Office. —There is created in 28
54	54	the Department of Education the Just Read, Florida! Office. The 29
55	55	office is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education and 30
56	56	shall: 31
57	57	(7) Work with the Florida Center for Reading Research to : 32
58	58	(a) Identify scientifically researched and evidence -based 33
59	59	reading instructional and intervention programs grounded in the 34
60	60	science of reading which incorporate explicit, systematic, and 35
61	61	sequential approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, 36
62	62	vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension and incorporate 37
63	63	decodable or phonetic text instructional strategies. Reading 38
64	64	intervention includes evidence -based strategies frequently used 39
65	65	to remediate reading deficiencies and includes, but is not 40
66	66	limited to, individual ins truction, multisensory approaches, 41
67	67	tutoring, mentoring, or the use of technology that targets 42
68	68	specific reading skills and abilities. The primary instructional 43
69	69	strategy for teaching word reading is phonics instruction for 44
70	70	decoding and encoding. The identifi ed reading instructional and 45
71	71	intervention programs for foundational skills may not include 46
72	72	strategies that employ the three -cueing system model of reading 47
73	73	or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading. Such 48
74	74	programs may include visual information a nd strategies that 49
75	75	improve background and experiential knowledge, add context, and 50
76	76
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84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88	88	increase oral language and vocabulary to support comprehension, 51
89	89	but may not be used to teach word reading. 52
90	90	(b) Identify middle school and high school personnel, 53
91	91	including school principals and reading coaches at the district 54
92	92	level and school level, to participate in training focused on 55
93	93	the delivery of reading instruction and interventions to 56
94	94	students in grades 4 through 12, as developed by the center 57
95	95	pursuant to s. 1004.645 (4). Priority shall be given to personnel 58
96	96	from small and rural school districts and district career 59
97	97	technical programs. 60
98	98	Section 2. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection 61
99	99	(2), and subsection (4) of section 1003.4201, Florida Statutes, 62
100	100	are amended to read: 63
101	101	1003.4201 Comprehensive system of reading instruction. —64
102	102	Each school district must implement a system of comprehensive 65
103	103	reading instruction for students enrolled in prekindergarten 66
104	104	through grade 12 and certain students who exhibit a substantial 67
105	105	deficiency in early literacy. 68
106	106	(1) Each school district must develop, and submit to the 69
107	107	district school board for approval, a detailed reading 70
108	108	instruction plan that outlines the components of the district's 71
109	109	comprehensive system of reading instruction. The pla n must 72
110	110	include: 73
111	111	(a) All district schools, including charter schools, 74
112	112	unless a charter school elects to submit a plan independently 75
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125	125	from the school district. A charter school plan must comply with 76
126	126	all of the provisions of this section and must be approved by 77
127	127	the charter school's governing body and provided to the charter 78
128	128	school's sponsor. 79
129	129	(b) Evidence-based intensive reading interventions for 80
130	130	students who have reading deficiencies. The interventions must 81
131	131	include all of the following: 82
132	132	1. Evidence-based reading instruction proven to accelerate 83
133	133	the progress of students exhibiting a reading deficiency. 84
134	134	2. Differentiated instruction based on screening, 85
135	135	diagnostic, progress monitoring, or student assessment data to 86
136	136	meet students' specific reading needs. 87
137	137	3. Explicit and systematic reading strategies to develop 88
138	138	phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and 89
139	139	comprehension, with more extensive opportunities for guided 90
140	140	practice, error correction, and feedback. 91
141	141	4. The coordinated integration of civic li teracy, science, 92
142	142	and mathematics-text reading, text discussion, and writing in 93
143	143	response to reading. 94
144	144	(2)(a) Components of the reading instruction plan may 95
145	145	include the following: 96
146	146	1. Additional time per day of evidence -based intensive 97
147	147	reading instruction for kindergarten through grade 12 students, 98
148	148	which may be delivered during or outside of the regular school 99
149	149	day. 100
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162	162	2. Highly qualified reading coaches, who must be endorsed 101
163	163	in reading, to specifically support classroom teachers in making 102
164	164	instructional decisions based on progress monitoring data 103
165	165	collected pursuant to s. 1008.25(9) and improve classroom 104
166	166	teacher delivery of effective reading instruction, reading 105
167	167	intervention, and reading in the content areas based on student 106
168	168	need. 107
169	169	3. Professional learning to help instructional personnel 108
170	170	and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida 109
171	171	Education Finance Program earn a certification, a credential, an 110
172	172	endorsement, or an advanced degree in scientifically researched 111
173	173	and evidence-based reading instructio n. 112
174	174	4. Methods for the deployment of reading coaches and 113
175	175	placement of kindergarten through grade 2 classroom teachers to 114
176	176	ensure the assignment of high -quality classroom teachers who are 115
177	177	trained in the science of reading. 116
178	178	5.4. Summer reading camps, using only classroom teachers 117
179	179	or other district personnel who possess a micro -credential as 118
180	180	specified in s. 1003.485 or are certified or endorsed in reading 119
181	181	consistent with s. 1008.25(8)(b)3., for all students in 120
182	182	kindergarten through grade 5 exhibiting a readin g deficiency as 121
183	183	determined by district and state assessments. 122
184	184	6.5. Incentives for instructional personnel and certified 123
185	185	prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance 124
186	186	Program who possess a reading certification or endorsement or 125
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199	199	micro-credential as specified in s. 1003.485 and provide 126
200	200	educational support to improve student literacy. 127
201	201	7.6. Tutoring in reading. 128
202	202	(4) The department shall : 129
203	203	(a) Review and approve the methods described in 130
204	204	subparagraph (2)(a)4. 131
205	205	(b) Evaluate the implementa tion of each school district 132
206	206	reading instruction plan, including conducting site visits and 133
207	207	collecting specific data on reading improvement results. 134
208	208	Section 3. Subsections (4) through (7) of section 135
209	209	1004.645, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsect ions (5) 136
210	210	through (8), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to 137
211	211	that section to read: 138
212	212	1004.645 Florida Center for Reading Research. —There is 139
213	213	created at the Florida State University, the Florida Center for 140
214	214	Reading Research (FCRR). The center shal l include two outreach 141
215	215	centers, one at a Florida College System institution in central 142
216	216	Florida and one at a south Florida state university. The center 143
217	217	and the outreach centers, under the center's leadership, shall: 144
218	218	(4) Contingent upon an appropriation, d evelop content for 145
219	219	job-embedded training for school and district leadership, 146
220	220	including school principals, and reading coaches focused on the 147
221	221	delivery of reading instruction and interventions to students in 148
222	222	grades 4 through 12. The training shall include ev idence-based 149
223	223	strategies for motivating and engaging adolescent learners and 150
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236	236	research-based strategies for accommodations and scaffolding 151
237	237	instruction for struggling readers and writers. 152
238	238	Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 153
239	239	1012.98, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 154
240	240	1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act. — 155
241	241	(5) The Department of Education, school districts, 156
242	242	schools, Florida College System institutions, and state 157
243	243	universities share the responsibilities described in this 158
244	244	section. These responsibilities include the following: 159
245	245	(b) Each school district shall develop a professional 160
246	246	learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall 161
247	247	be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher -educators of 162
248	248	Florida College System institutions and state universities, 163
249	249	business and community representatives, and local education 164
250	250	foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The 165
251	251	professional learning system must: 166
252	252	1. Be reviewed and approved by the department for 167
253	253	compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. Effective March 168
254	254	1, 2024, the department shall establish a calendar for the 169
255	255	review and approval of all professional learning systems. A 170
256	256	professional learning system must be reviewed and approved every 171
257	257	5 years. Any substantial revisions to the system must be 172
258	258	submitted to the department for review and approval. The 173
259	259	department shall establish a format for the review and approval 174
260	260	of a professional learning system. 175
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273	273	2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data a nd 176
274	274	instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous, 177
275	275	relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools 178
276	276	and districts, in developing and refining the professional 179
277	277	learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline 180
278	278	data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental 181
279	279	satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers, 182
280	280	and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators 183
281	281	to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved 184
282	282	professional performance. 185
283	283	3. Provide inservice activities coupled with followup 186
284	284	support appropriate to accomplish district -level and school-187
285	285	level improvement goals and standards. The inservice activities 188
286	286	for instructional and school administrative personnel shall 189
287	287	focus on analysis of student achievement data; ongoing formal 190
288	288	and informal assessments of student achievement; identification 191
289	289	and use of enhanced and differentiated instructional strategies 192
290	290	that emphasize rigor, relevance, and reading in the content 193
291	291	areas; enhancement of subject content expertise; integrated use 194
292	292	of classroom technology that enhances teaching and learning; 195
293	293	classroom management; parent involvement; and school safety. 196
294	294	4. Provide inservice activities and support targeted to 197
295	295	the individual needs of new teachers participating in the 198
296	296	professional learning certification and education competency 199
297	297	program under s. 1012.56(8)(a). 200
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310	310	5. Include a professional learning catalog for inservice 201
311	311	activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education, 202
312	312	for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog 203
313	313	must be updated annually by September 1, must be based on input 204
314	314	from teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and 205
315	315	must use the latest available student achievement data and 206
316	316	research to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each 207
317	317	district inservice catalog must be aligned to and support the 208
318	318	school-based inservice catalog and school improvement plans 209
319	319	pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district inservice catalog must 210
320	320	provide a description of the training that middle grades 211
321	321	instructional personnel and school administrators receive on the 212
322	322	district's code of student conduct adopted pursuant to s. 213
323	323	1006.07; integrated digital instruction and competency -based 214
324	324	instruction and CAPE Digital To ol certificates and CAPE industry 215
325	325	certifications; classroom management; student behavior and 216
326	326	interaction; extended learning opportunities for students; and 217
327	327	instructional leadership. District plans must be approved by the 218
328	328	district school board annually in o rder to ensure compliance 219
329	329	with subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research -220
330	330	based best practices to other districts. District school boards 221
331	331	shall submit verification of their approval to the Commissioner 222
332	332	of Education no later than October 1, a nnually. Each school 223
333	333	principal may establish and maintain an individual professional 224
334	334	learning plan for each instructional employee assigned to the 225
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347	347	school as a seamless component to the school improvement plans 226
348	348	developed pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An indiv idual professional 227
349	349	learning plan must be related to specific performance data for 228
350	350	the students to whom the teacher is assigned, define the 229
351	351	inservice objectives and specific measurable improvements 230
352	352	expected in student performance as a result of the inservic e 231
353	353	activity, and include an evaluation component that determines 232
354	354	the effectiveness of the professional learning plan. 233
355	355	6. Include inservice activities for school administrative 234
356	356	personnel, aligned to the state's educational leadership 235
357	357	standards, which addre ss updated skills necessary for 236
358	358	instructional leadership and effective school management 237
359	359	pursuant to s. 1012.986. 238
360	360	7. Provide for systematic consultation with regional and 239
361	361	state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and 240
362	362	evaluation of local professional learning programs. 241
363	363	8. Provide for delivery of professional learning by 242
364	364	distance learning and other technology -based delivery systems to 243
365	365	reach more educators at lower costs. 244
366	366	9. Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality 245
367	367	and effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to 246
368	368	eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand 247
369	369	effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such 248
370	370	activities on the performance of participating educators and 249
371	371	their students' achi evement and behavior. 250
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380	380	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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384	384	10. For all grades, emphasize: 251
385	385	a. Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and 252
386	386	instruction. 253
387	387	b. Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to 254
388	388	the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41. 255
389	389	c. Use of small learning communities; problem -solving, 256
390	390	inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students; 257
391	391	strategies and tools based on student needs; competency -based 258
392	392	instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project -based 259
393	393	instruction. 260
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395	395	Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall include 262
396	396	in its school improvement plan, required under s. 1001.42(18), a 263
397	397	description of the specific strategies used by the school to 264
398	398	implement each item listed in this subparagraph. 265
399	399	11. Provide training t o reading coaches, classroom 266
400	400	teachers, and school administrators in : 267
401	401	a. Effective methods of identifying characteristics of 268
402	402	conditions such as dyslexia and other causes of diminished 269
403	403	phonological processing skills; incorporating instructional 270
404	404	techniques into the general education setting which are proven 271
405	405	to improve reading performance for all students; and using 272
406	406	predictive and other data to make instructional decisions based 273
407	407	on individual student needs. The training must help teachers 274
408	408	integrate phonemic a wareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; 275
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421	421	reading fluency; vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and 276
422	422	text comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and 277
423	423	sequential approach to reading instruction, including 278
424	424	multisensory intervention str ategies. Such training for teaching 279
425	425	foundational skills must be based on the science of reading and 280
426	426	include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the 281
427	427	primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional 282
428	428	strategies included in the train ing may not employ the three -283
429	429	cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 284
430	430	teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies may include 285
431	431	visual information and strategies which improve background and 286
432	432	experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 287
433	433	and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 288
434	434	teach word reading. Each district must provide all elementary 289
435	435	grades instructional personnel access to training sufficient to 290
436	436	meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3 )(f). 291
437	437	b. The delivery of reading instruction and interventions 292
438	438	to students in grades 4 through 12, including evidenced -based 293
439	439	strategies for motivating and engaging adolescent learners and 294
440	440	research-based strategies for accommodations and scaffolding 295
441	441	instruction for struggling readers and writers. 296
442	442	Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 297