Florida Senate - 2025 SB 442 By Senator Simon 3-01770A-25 2025442__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to reading instruction; amending s. 3 1001.215, F.S.; requiring the Just Read, Florida! 4 Office to work with the Florida Center for Reading 5 Research to identify certain personnel and reading 6 coaches to participate in specified training; amending 7 s. 1003.4201, F.S.; requiring that intensive reading 8 instruction be provided to students who have reading 9 deficiencies; providing requirements for such 10 instruction; providing that a reading plan may include 11 methods for the use of reading coaches and placement 12 of teachers with specified training; requiring the 13 Department of Education to review and approve certain 14 provisions; amending s. 1004.645, F.S.; requiring the 15 Florida Center for Reading Research to develop content 16 for specified training, subject to legislative 17 appropriation; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; requiring 18 that school district professional learning systems 19 include training for specified individuals in the 20 delivery of reading instruction and interventions; 21 providing an effective date. 22 23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 24 25 Section 1.Subsection (7) of section 1001.215, Florida 26 Statutes, is amended to read: 27 1001.215Just Read, Florida! Office.There is created in 28 the Department of Education the Just Read, Florida! Office. The 29 office is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education and 30 shall: 31 (7)Work with the Florida Center for Reading Research to: 32 (a)Identify scientifically researched and evidence-based 33 reading instructional and intervention programs grounded in the 34 science of reading which incorporate explicit, systematic, and 35 sequential approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, 36 vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension and incorporate 37 decodable or phonetic text instructional strategies. Reading 38 intervention includes evidence-based strategies frequently used 39 to remediate reading deficiencies and includes, but is not 40 limited to, individual instruction, multisensory approaches, 41 tutoring, mentoring, or the use of technology that targets 42 specific reading skills and abilities. The primary instructional 43 strategy for teaching word reading is phonics instruction for 44 decoding and encoding. The identified reading instructional and 45 intervention programs for foundational skills may not include 46 strategies that employ the three-cueing system model of reading 47 or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading. Such 48 programs may include visual information and strategies that 49 improve background and experiential knowledge, add context, and 50 increase oral language and vocabulary to support comprehension, 51 but may not be used to teach word reading. 52 (b)Identify middle school and secondary school personnel, 53 including principals, and reading coaches at the district and 54 school level to participate in training focused on the delivery 55 of reading instruction and interventions to students in grades 4 56 through 12, as developed by the Florida Center for Reading 57 Research, consistent with s. 1004.645(4). Priority must be given 58 to small and rural districts and district career technical 59 programs. 60 Section 2.Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2), 61 and subsection (4) of section 1003.4201, Florida Statutes, are 62 amended to read: 63 1003.4201Comprehensive system of reading instruction.Each 64 school district must implement a system of comprehensive reading 65 instruction for students enrolled in prekindergarten through 66 grade 12 and certain students who exhibit a substantial 67 deficiency in early literacy. 68 (1)Each school district must develop, and submit to the 69 district school board for approval, a detailed reading 70 instruction plan that outlines the components of the districts 71 comprehensive system of reading instruction. Intensive reading 72 instruction must be provided to students who have reading 73 deficiencies and must include: evidence-based reading 74 instruction proven to accelerate progress of students exhibiting 75 a reading deficiency; differentiated instruction based on 76 screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or student 77 assessment data to meet students specific reading needs; 78 explicit and systematic reading strategies to develop phonemic 79 awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, with 80 more extensive opportunities for guided practice, error 81 correction, and feedback; and the coordinated integration of 82 civic literacy, science, and mathematics-text reading, text 83 discussion, and writing in response to reading. The plan must 84 include all district schools, including charter schools, unless 85 a charter school elects to submit a plan independently from the 86 school district. A charter school plan must comply with all of 87 the provisions of this section and must be approved by the 88 charter schools governing body and provided to the charter 89 schools sponsor. 90 (2)(a)Components of the reading instruction plan may 91 include the following: 92 1.Additional time per day of evidence-based intensive 93 reading instruction for kindergarten through grade 12 students, 94 which may be delivered during or outside of the regular school 95 day. 96 2. Highly qualified reading coaches, who must be endorsed 97 in reading, to specifically support classroom teachers in making 98 instructional decisions based on progress monitoring data 99 collected pursuant to s. 1008.25(9) and improve classroom 100 teacher delivery of effective reading instruction, reading 101 intervention, and reading in the content areas based on student 102 need. 103 3.Professional learning to help instructional personnel 104 and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida 105 Education Finance Program earn a certification, a credential, an 106 endorsement, or an advanced degree in scientifically researched 107 and evidence-based reading instruction. 108 4.Methods for the use of reading coaches and strategic 109 placement of high-quality kindergarten through grade 12 teachers 110 trained in the science of reading. 111 5.Summer reading camps, using only classroom teachers or 112 other district personnel who possess a micro-credential as 113 specified in s. 1003.485 or are certified or endorsed in reading 114 consistent with s. 1008.25(8)(b)3., for all students in 115 kindergarten through grade 5 exhibiting a reading deficiency as 116 determined by district and state assessments. 117 6.5.Incentives for instructional personnel and certified 118 prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance 119 Program who possess a reading certification or endorsement or 120 micro-credential as specified in s. 1003.485 and provide 121 educational support to improve student literacy. 122 7.6.Tutoring in reading. 123 (4)The department shall: 124 (a)Review and approve the components described in 125 subparagraph (2)(a)4. 126 (b)Evaluate the implementation of each school district 127 reading instruction plan, including conducting site visits and 128 collecting specific data on reading improvement results. 129 Section 3.Present subsections (4) through (7) of section 130 1004.645, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5) 131 through (8), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to 132 that section, to read: 133 1004.645Florida Center for Reading Research.There is 134 created at the Florida State University, the Florida Center for 135 Reading Research (FCRR). The center shall include two outreach 136 centers, one at a Florida College System institution in central 137 Florida and one at a south Florida state university. The center 138 and the outreach centers, under the centers leadership, shall: 139 (4)Contingent upon legislative appropriation, develop 140 content for job-embedded training for school and district 141 leadership, including principals, and reading coaches focused on 142 the delivery of reading instruction and interventions to 143 students in grades 4 through 12. The training must include 144 evidence-based strategies for motivating and engaging adolescent 145 learners and research-based strategies for accommodations and 146 scaffolding instruction for struggling readers and writers. 147 Section 4.Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 148 1012.98, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 149 1012.98School Community Professional Learning Act. 150 (5)The Department of Education, school districts, schools, 151 Florida College System institutions, and state universities 152 share the responsibilities described in this section. These 153 responsibilities include the following: 154 (b)Each school district shall develop a professional 155 learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall 156 be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher-educators of 157 Florida College System institutions and state universities, 158 business and community representatives, and local education 159 foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The 160 professional learning system must: 161 1.Be reviewed and approved by the department for 162 compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. Effective March 163 1, 2024, the department shall establish a calendar for the 164 review and approval of all professional learning systems. A 165 professional learning system must be reviewed and approved every 166 5 years. Any substantial revisions to the system must be 167 submitted to the department for review and approval. The 168 department shall establish a format for the review and approval 169 of a professional learning system. 170 2.Be based on analyses of student achievement data and 171 instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous, 172 relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools 173 and districts, in developing and refining the professional 174 learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline 175 data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental 176 satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers, 177 and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators 178 to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved 179 professional performance. 180 3.Provide inservice activities coupled with follow-up 181 followup support appropriate to accomplish district-level and 182 school-level improvement goals and standards. The inservice 183 activities for instructional and school administrative personnel 184 shall focus on analysis of student achievement data; ongoing 185 formal and informal assessments of student achievement; 186 identification and use of enhanced and differentiated 187 instructional strategies that emphasize rigor, relevance, and 188 reading in the content areas; enhancement of subject content 189 expertise; integrated use of classroom technology that enhances 190 teaching and learning; classroom management; parent involvement; 191 and school safety. 192 4.Provide inservice activities and support targeted to the 193 individual needs of new teachers participating in the 194 professional learning certification and education competency 195 program under s. 1012.56(8)(a). 196 5.Include a professional learning catalog for inservice 197 activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education, 198 for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog 199 must be updated annually by September 1, must be based on input 200 from teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and 201 must use the latest available student achievement data and 202 research to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each 203 district inservice catalog must be aligned to and support the 204 school-based inservice catalog and school improvement plans 205 pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district inservice catalog must 206 provide a description of the training that middle grades 207 instructional personnel and school administrators receive on the 208 districts code of student conduct adopted pursuant to s. 209 1006.07; integrated digital instruction and competency-based 210 instruction and CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry 211 certifications; classroom management; student behavior and 212 interaction; extended learning opportunities for students; and 213 instructional leadership. District plans must be approved by the 214 district school board annually in order to ensure compliance 215 with subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research 216 based best practices to other districts. District school boards 217 shall submit verification of their approval to the Commissioner 218 of Education no later than October 1, annually. Each school 219 principal may establish and maintain an individual professional 220 learning plan for each instructional employee assigned to the 221 school as a seamless component to the school improvement plans 222 developed pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An individual professional 223 learning plan must be related to specific performance data for 224 the students to whom the teacher is assigned, define the 225 inservice objectives and specific measurable improvements 226 expected in student performance as a result of the inservice 227 activity, and include an evaluation component that determines 228 the effectiveness of the professional learning plan. 229 6.Include inservice activities for school administrative 230 personnel, aligned to the states educational leadership 231 standards, which address updated skills necessary for 232 instructional leadership and effective school management 233 pursuant to s. 1012.986. 234 7.Provide for systematic consultation with regional and 235 state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and 236 evaluation of local professional learning programs. 237 8.Provide for delivery of professional learning by 238 distance learning and other technology-based delivery systems to 239 reach more educators at lower costs. 240 9.Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality and 241 effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to 242 eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand 243 effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such 244 activities on the performance of participating educators and 245 their students achievement and behavior. 246 10.For all grades, emphasize: 247 a.Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and 248 instruction. 249 b.Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to 250 the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41. 251 c.Use of small learning communities; problem-solving, 252 inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students; 253 strategies and tools based on student needs; competency-based 254 instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project-based 255 instruction. 256 257 Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall include 258 in its school improvement plan, required under s. 1001.42(18), a 259 description of the specific strategies used by the school to 260 implement each item listed in this subparagraph. 261 11.Provide training to reading coaches, classroom 262 teachers, and school administrators in: 263 a.Effective methods of identifying characteristics of 264 conditions such as dyslexia and other causes of diminished 265 phonological processing skills; incorporating instructional 266 techniques into the general education setting which are proven 267 to improve reading performance for all students; and using 268 predictive and other data to make instructional decisions based 269 on individual student needs. The training must help teachers 270 integrate phonemic awareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; 271 reading fluency; vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and 272 text comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and 273 sequential approach to reading instruction, including 274 multisensory intervention strategies. Such training for teaching 275 foundational skills must be based on the science of reading and 276 include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the 277 primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional 278 strategies included in the training may not employ the three 279 cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 280 teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies may include 281 visual information and strategies which improve background and 282 experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 283 and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 284 teach word reading. Each district must provide all elementary 285 grades instructional personnel access to training sufficient to 286 meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3)(f). 287 b.The delivery of reading instruction and interventions to 288 students in grades 4 through 12, including evidenced-based 289 strategies for motivating and engaging adolescent learners and 290 research-based strategies for accommodations and scaffolding 291 instruction for struggling readers and writers. 292 Section 5.This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.