Louisiana 2022 2022 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HB911 Introduced / Bill

                    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	*          *          *
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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	*          *          *
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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.
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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. 
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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))
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CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.