| 1 | 1 | | <STYLE><!--U {color: Green}S {color: RED} I {color: DARKBLUE; background-color:yellow} P.brk {page-break-before:always}--></STYLE> <BASEFONT SIZE=3> <PRE WIDTH="99"> <FONT SIZE=5><B> STATE OF NEW YORK</B></FONT> ________________________________________________________________________ 7454 2025-2026 Regular Sessions <FONT SIZE=5><B> IN SENATE</B></FONT> April 16, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. HOYLMAN-SIGAL, GALLIVAN, JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to early literacy educa- tion <B><U>The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-</U></B> <B><U>bly, do enact as follows:</U></B> 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "right to 2 read act". 3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 819 to read 4 as follows: 5 <B><U>§ 819. Early literacy education. 1. For purposes of this section, the</U></B> 6 <B><U>following terms shall have the following meanings:</U></B> 7 <B><U>(a) "Evidence-based" means the instruction or item described is based</U></B> 8 <B><U>on rigorous, reliable, trustworthy and valid scientific evidence and has</U></B> 9 <B><U>demonstrated a record of success in addressing students' reading compe-</U></B> 10 <B><U>tency in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary develop-</U></B> 11 <B><U>ment, reading fluency and comprehension, including background knowledge</U></B> 12 <B><U>oral language and writing.</U></B> 13 <B><U>(b) "Phonemic awareness" means the ability to notice, think about and</U></B> 14 <B><U>manipulate individual sounds in spoken syllables and words.</U></B> 15 <B><U>(c) "Vocabulary development" means the process of acquiring new words.</U></B> 16 <B><U>"Vocabulary development" includes improving all areas of communication,</U></B> 17 <B><U>including listening, speaking, reading and writing which is directly</U></B> 18 <B><U>related to school achievement and is a strong predictor for reading</U></B> 19 <B><U>success.</U></B> 20 <B><U>(d) "Reading fluency" means the ability to read words, phrases and</U></B> 21 <B><U>sentences accurately, at an appropriate speed, and with expression.</U></B> 22 <B><U>(e) "Reading comprehension" means a function of word recognition</U></B> 23 <B><U>skills and language comprehension skills and shall include having suffi-</U></B> 24 <B><U>cient background information and vocabulary in order for the reader to</U></B> EXPLANATION--Matter in <B><U>italics</U></B> (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [<B><S> </S></B>] is old law to be omitted. LBD00258-01-5 </PRE><P CLASS="brk"><PRE WIDTH="99"> S. 7454 2 1 <B><U>understand the words in front of them. "Reading comprehension" also</U></B> 2 <B><U>includes the active process that requires intentional thinking during</U></B> 3 <B><U>which meaning is constructed through interactions between the text and</U></B> 4 <B><U>reader. Comprehension skills are taught explicitly by demonstrating,</U></B> 5 <B><U>explaining, modeling and implementing specific cognitive strategies to</U></B> 6 <B><U>help beginning readers derive meaning through intentional, problem-solv-</U></B> 7 <B><U>ing thinking processes.</U></B> 8 <B><U>(f) "Three-cueing", or "meaning structure visual" (MSV) means a method</U></B> 9 <B><U>that teaches students to use meaning, structure and syntax, and visual</U></B> 10 <B><U>cues when attempting to read an unknown word.</U></B> 11 <B><U>(g) "Cultural responsiveness" means alignment with the New York state</U></B> 12 <B><U>culturally-responsive sustaining education (CRSE) framework.</U></B> 13 <B><U>(h) "Culturally-responsive sustaining education (CRSE) framework"</U></B> 14 <B><U>means a framework that helps educators create student-centered learning</U></B> 15 <B><U>environments that: affirm racial, linguistic and cultural identities;</U></B> 16 <B><U>prepare students for rigor and independent learning, develop students'</U></B> 17 <B><U>abilities to connect across lines of difference; elevate historically</U></B> 18 <B><U>marginalized voices; and empower students as agents of social change.</U></B> 19 <B><U>2. Commencing the school year following the publication of the</U></B> 20 <B><U>approved instructional programming as set forth in subdivision five of</U></B> 21 <B><U>this section, each school district shall provide all students in pre-</U></B> 22 <B><U>kindergarten through fifth grade programming and services necessary to</U></B> 23 <B><U>ensure to the greatest extent possible that students, as they progress</U></B> 24 <B><U>through pre-kindergarten, kingdergarten, first, second, third, fourth</U></B> 25 <B><U>and fifth grades develop the necessary foundational reading skills to</U></B> 26 <B><U>enable them to master the academic standards and expectations applicable</U></B> 27 <B><U>to the sixth grade curriculum and beyond. The instructional programming</U></B> 28 <B><U>and services for teaching students to read must be evidence-based and</U></B> 29 <B><U>scientifically-based, must focus on reading competency in the areas of</U></B> 30 <B><U>phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency,</U></B> 31 <B><U>comprehension, including background knowledge, oral language and writ-</U></B> 32 <B><U>ing, oral skill development, and must align with CRSE framework.</U></B> 33 <B><U>Districts shall ensure that all early literacy programming and services</U></B> 34 <B><U>are part of an aligned and coherent plan designed to improve student</U></B> 35 <B><U>reading outcomes in grades pre-kindergarten through five.</U></B> 36 <B><U>3. Commencing the school year following the publication of the</U></B> 37 <B><U>approved professional development programs as set forth in subdivision</U></B> 38 <B><U>seven of this section, every school district shall ensure that all</U></B> 39 <B><U>teachers employed to teach pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first,</U></B> 40 <B><U>second, third, fourth and fifth grades, including teachers with multiple</U></B> 41 <B><U>subject and education specialist teaching credentials, possess adequate</U></B> 42 <B><U>capabilities to teach literacy using evidence-based instruction. Teach-</U></B> 43 <B><U>ers employed by a district before or on the effective date of this</U></B> 44 <B><U>section may meet this requirement by presenting evidence of their profi-</U></B> 45 <B><U>ciency in reading instruction through completion of professional learn-</U></B> 46 <B><U>ing courses including, but not limited to, evidence-based means of</U></B> 47 <B><U>teaching foundational reading skills in print concepts, phonological</U></B> 48 <B><U>awareness, phonics and word recognition, comprehension and supporting</U></B> 49 <B><U>reading fluency for all pupils, including establishing tiered supports</U></B> 50 <B><U>for students with reading difficulties including those with character-</U></B> 51 <B><U>istics of dyslexia and dysgraphia, English learners and students with</U></B> 52 <B><U>exceptional needs. Teachers employed by a district after the effective</U></B> 53 <B><U>date of this section shall meet this requirement by successfully</U></B> 54 <B><U>completing at least thirty-five hours of evidence-based training in</U></B> 55 <B><U>reading instruction in accordance with subdivision seven of this</U></B> 56 <B><U>section. Alternatively, current and future educators can provide</U></B> </PRE><P CLASS="brk"><PRE WIDTH="99"> S. 7454 3 1 <B><U>evidence that their teacher preparation program adequately covered all</U></B> 2 <B><U>of these topics during their enrollment. To the extent possible, school</U></B> 3 <B><U>leaders of elementary schools should also meet the requirements of this</U></B> 4 <B><U>section.</U></B> 5 <B><U>4. The department shall provide grants to BOCES and/or school</U></B> 6 <B><U>districts to hire onsite literacy coaches trained in the science of</U></B> 7 <B><U>reading, focusing on high need districts with at least seventy-five</U></B> 8 <B><U>percent of third graders reading below proficiency based on the two</U></B> 9 <B><U>thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five New York state English</U></B> 10 <B><U>language arts assessment.</U></B> 11 <B><U>5. Following consultation with the city school districts of the</U></B> 12 <B><U>cities of New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers, the</U></B> 13 <B><U>department shall develop a list of approved, evidence-based curricula</U></B> 14 <B><U>that meets the definition set forth in paragraph (a) of subdivision one</U></B> 15 <B><U>of this section. Such list shall be posted on the department's website</U></B> 16 <B><U>and shall at a minimum be updated annually. Such list shall not include</U></B> 17 <B><U>instructional programming or materials that employ three-cueing or mean-</U></B> 18 <B><U>ing structure visual (MSV). Approved curricula shall at a minimum:</U></B> 19 <B><U>(a) have been proven to accelerate student progress in attaining read-</U></B> 20 <B><U>ing competency;</U></B> 21 <B><U>(b) provide explicit and systematic skill development in the areas of</U></B> 22 <B><U>phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, comprehension and</U></B> 23 <B><U>reading fluency, including oral skill development;</U></B> 24 <B><U>(c) be evidence-based and be aligned with the preschool through</U></B> 25 <B><U>elementary and secondary education standards for reading adopted by the</U></B> 26 <B><U>department;</U></B> 27 <B><U>(d) include evidence-based valid and reliable assessments that provide</U></B> 28 <B><U>initial and ongoing analysis of a student's progress in attaining read-</U></B> 29 <B><U>ing competency at least three times per year, beginning in kindergarten;</U></B> 30 <B><U>and</U></B> 31 <B><U>(e) include texts on core academic content to assist students in main-</U></B> 32 <B><U>taining or meeting grade-appropriate proficiency levels in academic</U></B> 33 <B><U>subjects in addition to reading, while ensuring alignment with the</U></B> 34 <B><U>state's CRSE framework.</U></B> 35 <B><U>6. The department shall develop a competitive grant program that</U></B> 36 <B><U>allows districts to replace non-evidence-based curricula with curricula</U></B> 37 <B><U>from the approved department list of evidence-based curricula. Funds</U></B> 38 <B><U>from this grant may be used to provide professional learning for educa-</U></B> 39 <B><U>tors to effectively implement the new evidence-based curricula.</U></B> 40 <B><U>7. (a) The department shall develop a list of approved professional</U></B> 41 <B><U>development programs that are evidence-based and provide opportunities</U></B> 42 <B><U>for practical application of evidence-based literacy instruction in the</U></B> 43 <B><U>classroom. Programs should address significant reading deficiencies and</U></B> 44 <B><U>apply intervention strategies for struggling students including students</U></B> 45 <B><U>with characteristics of dyslexia and dysgraphia, in addition to teaching</U></B> 46 <B><U>general, evidence-based literacy instructional approaches for all</U></B> 47 <B><U>students. The department shall include on such list the approved profes-</U></B> 48 <B><U>sional development programs that are available online. Such list shall</U></B> 49 <B><U>be posted on the department's website and shall at a minimum be updated</U></B> 50 <B><U>annually. The department shall ensure that each professional development</U></B> 51 <B><U>program included on such list:</U></B> 52 <B><U>(i) is focused on or aligns with the science of reading, and is</U></B> 53 <B><U>comprehensive and research-based, including the following:</U></B> 54 <B><U>(1) the study of organized, systematic, explicit skills including</U></B> 55 <B><U>phonemic awareness, direct, systematic, explicit phonics, and decoding</U></B> 56 <B><U>strategies;</U></B> </PRE><P CLASS="brk"><PRE WIDTH="99"> S. 7454 4 1 <B><U>(2) a strong literature, language and comprehension component encom-</U></B> 2 <B><U>passing both oral and written language;</U></B> 3 <B><U>(3) ongoing screening techniques to inform teaching;</U></B> 4 <B><U>(4) early intervention measures; and</U></B> 5 <B><U>(5) guided practice in a clinical setting;</U></B> 6 <B><U>(ii) includes rigorous evaluations of learning both throughout and at</U></B> 7 <B><U>the conclusion of the course, which a participant must pass to success-</U></B> 8 <B><U>fully complete the course; and</U></B> 9 <B><U>(iii) aligns with the approved instructional programming published in</U></B> 10 <B><U>accordance with subdivision five of this section.</U></B> 11 <B><U>(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "direct, systematic, explicit</U></B> 12 <B><U>phonics" means phonemic awareness, spelling patterns, the direct</U></B> 13 <B><U>instruction of sound/symbol codes and practice in connected text, and</U></B> 14 <B><U>the relationship of direct, systematic, explicit phonics.</U></B> 15 <B><U>8. (a) Every school district, at least three times per year, shall</U></B> 16 <B><U>give the parent or guardian of each student in pre-kindergarten through</U></B> 17 <B><U>grade five a progress report about such student's literacy progress. For</U></B> 18 <B><U>pre-kindergarten students, such report shall include an assessment of</U></B> 19 <B><U>cognitive abilities, including executive function, and social-emotional</U></B> 20 <B><U>learning. For kindergarten through grade five, such progress report</U></B> 21 <B><U>shall include information about the following:</U></B> 22 <B><U>(i) the student's reading proficiency as measured by district reading</U></B> 23 <B><U>assessments and screeners;</U></B> 24 <B><U>(ii) information about the literacy programming and services being</U></B> 25 <B><U>provided to the student, including curriculum; and</U></B> 26 <B><U>(iii) list of evidence-based home and community resources that fami-</U></B> 27 <B><U>lies and caregivers can use to support their child's reading and</U></B> 28 <B><U>language development.</U></B> 29 <B><U>(b) The department shall develop a progress report template for</U></B> 30 <B><U>districts to meet the requirements set forth pursuant to this subdivi-</U></B> 31 <B><U>sion.</U></B> 32 <B><U>9. (a) By September fifteenth of the school year subsequent to the</U></B> 33 <B><U>school year school districts are required to commence providing the</U></B> 34 <B><U>programming and services set forth in subdivision two of this section,</U></B> 35 <B><U>and on an annual basis thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a</U></B> 36 <B><U>report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over pre-kinder-</U></B> 37 <B><U>garten through grade twelve education summarizing, at minimum, the</U></B> 38 <B><U>state's performance on each of the following metrics:</U></B> 39 <B><U>(i) students' literacy and reading progression using state growth</U></B> 40 <B><U>measures. The commissioner shall analyze the state's progress in regard</U></B> 41 <B><U>to students' reading and literacy using the state's educational assess-</U></B> 42 <B><U>ment system. The system shall measure individual students' educational</U></B> 43 <B><U>growth in the area of reading based on indicators of current achievement</U></B> 44 <B><U>growth, and each individual student's growth must be shown relative to</U></B> 45 <B><U>the student's prior achievement. Indicators of achievement and prior</U></B> 46 <B><U>achievement shall be based on highly reliable statewide assessments. The</U></B> 47 <B><U>commissioner shall include aggregated data and disaggregated data show-</U></B> 48 <B><U>ing educational growth by school site, grade and race/ethnicity;</U></B> 49 <B><U>(ii) by school site and grade, the percentage of teachers required to</U></B> 50 <B><U>possess capabilities in research-based literacy instruction as specified</U></B> 51 <B><U>under subdivision three of this section that have successfully completed</U></B> 52 <B><U>training or otherwise demonstrated knowledge in evidence-based literacy</U></B> 53 <B><U>instruction;</U></B> 54 <B><U>(iii) by school site and grade, the names of the approved professional</U></B> 55 <B><U>development programs in accordance with subdivision seven of this</U></B> 56 <B><U>section used by teachers; and</U></B> </PRE><P CLASS="brk"><PRE WIDTH="99"> S. 7454 5 1 <B><U>(iv) by school site and grade, the names of the approved instructional</U></B> 2 <B><U>programming and supporting materials as specified under subdivision five</U></B> 3 <B><U>of this section that were used at the beginning and end of the school</U></B> 4 <B><U>year.</U></B> 5 <B><U>(b) The department shall publish this information on its website in a</U></B> 6 <B><U>clear and accessible format.</U></B> 7 § 3. Section 3004 of the education law is amended by adding a new 8 subdivision 7 to read as follows: 9 <B><U>7. a. The commissioner shall prescribe regulations requiring that all</U></B> 10 <B><U>persons applying on or after September second, two thousand twenty-six</U></B> 11 <B><U>for a teaching certification or license valid for service in the early</U></B> 12 <B><U>childhood or elementary grades shall, in addition to all the other</U></B> 13 <B><U>certification or licensing requirements, have completed course work or</U></B> 14 <B><U>training in evidence-based literacy instruction that meets the require-</U></B> 15 <B><U>ments set forth in subdivision seven of section eight hundred nineteen</U></B> 16 <B><U>of this chapter.</U></B> 17 <B><U>b. The commissioner shall ensure that teacher preparation insti-</U></B> 18 <B><U>tutions, starting in the two thousand twenty-five--two thousand twenty-</U></B> 19 <B><U>six academic year, include evidence-based literacy instruction that</U></B> 20 <B><U>meets the requirements set forth in subdivision seven of section eight</U></B> 21 <B><U>hundred nineteen of this chapter.</U></B> 22 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately. |
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