HLS 22RS-1727 ORIGINAL 2022 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 911 BY REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES EDUCATION: Provides relative to early literacy 1 AN ACT 2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.9(B)(5), (6), and (7)(a) and (b)(introductory paragraph), 3 24.10(A)(2) and (3), (B)(1)(introductory paragraph), and (F), and 24.12(C) and (D) 4 and to enact R.S. 17:24.10(G) and 24.12(E), relative to early literacy; to increase the 5 number of administrations of a literacy assessment to students in grades kindergarten 6 through three; to provide for reporting the results of the literacy assessment; to 7 provide relative to literacy supports and interventions for certain students; to require 8 individual reading plans for certain students; to require literacy coaches for teachers; 9 and to provide for related matters. 10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 11 Section 1. R.S. 17:17:24.9(B)(5), (6), and (7)(a) and (b)(introductory paragraph), 1224.10(A)(2) and (3), (B)(1)(introductory paragraph), and (F), and 24.12(C) and (D) are 13hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:24.10(G) and 24.12(E) are hereby enacted to 14read as follows: 15 §24.9. Quality early literacy initiative; legislative findings; development; criteria; 16 implementation; limitations 17 * * * Page 1 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 22RS-1727 ORIGINAL HB NO. 911 1 B. The state Department of Education shall develop a comprehensive and 2 evidence-based early literacy initiative for students in kindergarten through third 3 grade. The department shall: 4 * * * 5 (5) Require, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each public school 6 to administer the literacy assessment three times per school year to each student in 7 kindergarten through third grade, . The first assessment shall be administered within 8 the first thirty days of each school year, the second assessment shall be administered 9 in December, and the third assessment shall be administered in April. 10 (6) Provide, within thirty days after the each administration of the literacy 11 assessment, a literacy assessment report to each public school governing authority, 12 each public school, and each public school teacher who teaches students in 13 kindergarten through third grade, that indicates the number and percentage of 14 students with literacy skills determined to be above grade level, on grade level, or 15 below grade level. The number of students identified for referral for gifted 16 evaluation or targeted for literacy intervention shall also be reported. 17 (7)(a) Submit a report, not later than ninety days after the beginning of each 18 school year, to the Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on 19 Education detailing the results of the each literacy assessment for each public 20 elementary school, each public school system, and the state as a whole. The report 21 shall be submitted twice per school year. The first report shall include the results of 22 the first assessment administered and shall be submitted within the first ninety days 23 of the school year. The second report shall include the results of the second and third 24 assessments and shall be submitted not later than June first. 25 (b) The Each report shall include: 26 * * * 27 §24.10. Early literacy instruction and assessment; parental notification; reporting 28 A. Each public school shall: 29 * * * Page 2 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 22RS-1727 ORIGINAL HB NO. 911 1 (2) Within the first thirty days of each school year, in December, and in 2 April, administer the literacy assessment developed and provided by the state 3 Department of Education pursuant to R.S. 17:24.9 to each student in kindergarten 4 through third grade to determine each student's literacy level. 5 (3) Provide literacy interventions and supports designed to improve the 6 foundational literacy skills of any student identified as having literacy skills below 7 grade level. The supports may include daily targeted small-group interventions, 8 before and after school literacy intervention provided by a teacher or tutor with 9 specialized literacy training, and at-home literacy programs that include literacy 10 workshops for the parents and legal guardians of students and web-based or parent- 11 guided home literacy activities, and summer learning opportunities, including but not 12 limited to reading camps where students receive reading intervention services and 13 supports. 14 * * * 15 B.(1) Within fifteen days of identifying that a student in kindergarten 16 through third grade is below grade level, based on the results of the annual literacy 17 assessment any of the three literacy assessments administered per school year, the 18 school shall notify the student's parent or legal guardian in writing that the student 19 has been identified as being below grade level, and shall provide the student's parent 20 with the following: 21 * * * 22 F. A student in grades kindergarten through three, within thirty days of being 23 identified as having literacy skills that are below grade level based on the results of 24 the literacy assessment, shall receive an individual reading improvement plan. The 25 plan shall be created by the teacher, principal, other pertinent school personnel, and 26 the parent or legal guardian and shall describe the research-based reading 27 intervention services the student will receive. Page 3 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 22RS-1727 ORIGINAL HB NO. 911 1 F. G. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt 2 rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the 3 provisions of this Section. 4 §24.12. Early literacy professional development; purpose; requirements; reporting; 5 funding 6 * * * 7 C. Each public school governing authority shall provide for literacy coaches 8 for reading teachers in kindergarten through third grade for the purposes of providing 9 on-site teacher training on evidence-based reading instruction, demonstrating 10 lessons, co-teaching or observation, and providing feedback for improving 11 instruction. 12 C. D. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt 13 rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the 14 provisions of this Section. 15 D. E. The provisions of this Section shall be subject to the appropriation of 16 funds. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 911 Original 2022 Regular Session Hughes Abstract: Provides for additional literacy assessments for students in grades K-3, requires individual reading plans for certain students, and requires literacy coaches for teachers. Relative to literacy assessments for students in grades K-3: (1)Present law provides for students in grades K-3 to take a literacy assessment within the first 30 days of the school year. Proposed law provides for two additional assessments per school year, one in Dec. and one in April. (2)Present law requires parental notification when students are identified as having literacy skills that are below grade level based on the assessment results. Proposed law specifies that this notification is required upon such identification based on the results of any of the three assessments administered per school year. (3)Present law requires the state Dept. of Education (DOE) to submit a report to the legislature on the results of the assessment within the first 90 days of the school year. Page 4 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 22RS-1727 ORIGINAL HB NO. 911 Present law additionally requires a second report to be submitted by June 1st (the first report covering the results of the first assessment and the second report covering the results of the second and third assessments). Relative to literacy interventions and supports for students identified as having literacy skills below grade level: (1)Proposed law requires an individual reading improvement plan for each such student created by school officials and parents. (2)Present law requires literacy interventions and supports for these students, which may include small-group interventions, before and after school literacy intervention, and at-home literacy programs. Proposed law adds summer learning opportunities to this list. Relative to professional development for teachers, present law requires professional development pertaining to early literacy, including a course on foundational literacy skills. Proposed law additionally requires literacy coaches for on-site teacher training. (Amends R.S. 17:24.9(B)(5), (6), and (7)(a) and (b)(intro. para.), 24.10(A)(2) and (3), (B)(1)(intro. para.), and (F), and 24.12(C) and (D); Adds R.S. 17:24.10(G) and 24.12(E)) Page 5 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.