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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR ENGROSSED
SENATE BILL 362 By: Pugh of the Senate
and
Baker and Davis of the
House
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
An Act relating to the Reading Sufficiency Act;
creating the Statewide Literacy Revolving Fund;
specifying source of fund; providing for expenditures
subject to availability of certain funding; providing
purpose of fund; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -
200, which relates t o development of residency
committees; updating statutory language; requiring
electronic submission of certain report; updating
statutory references; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section
1210.508A, which relates to short title; renaming act
the Strong Readers Act; a mending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 1210.508B, which relates to legislative
intent; modifying intent; modifying purpose of act;
providing legislative intent to prohibit certain
model of teaching beginning in certain school year;
defining term; updating statutory language; amending
70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C, which relates to
reading assessments; requiring students in certain
grades to be screened for certain reading skills with
certain frequency; directing approval of certain
screening instrument to be done with certain
consultation; directing certain factors to be
considered in approving certain screening instrument;
removing language regarding students in kindergarten
who are at risk for reading difficulties or are not
meeting grade-level targets; removing language
requiring provision of certain classroom assistants;
removing language requiring certain program of
reading instruction to include certain initiative;
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requiring certain number of screening instruments to
be approved beginning in certain school yea r;
modifying criteria for screening instruments;
providing exemptions from screening requirements to
certain students; requiring schools that grant
certain exemptions to provide certain ongoing
evidence; requiring, rather than allowing, program of
reading instruction to include certain provisions;
directing an individual reading intervention plan to
be provided within certain ti me period to certain
students; requiring the plan to include certain
provisions; requiring notification of a parent or
legal guardian within certain time period of
identification of certain deficiency; removing
requirement for development of new program of reading
instruction; providing certain exemption for certain
students who demonstrate proficiency in reading;
requiring continued monitoring of such student;
requiring intensive intervention services to be
provided to certain students beginning in certain
school year; removing language prohibiting automatic
promotion of certain students; removing language
regarding minimum criteria f or grade-level
performance; removing language allowing probationary
promotion; removing language requiring retention of
certain third-grade students; requiring certain
report to be submitted electronically to additional
recipients; expanding contents of re port; removing
language establishing good -cause exemptions for
promotion; removing language regarding exemptions to
retention; removing language requiring school
districts to conduct certain review of certain
program; removing language directing school dis tricts
to establish a Reading Enhancement and Acceleration
Development (READ) Initiative; requiring certain
reports to be submitted el ectronically to additional
recipients; modifying contents of reports; amending
70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508D, which rela tes to
Reading Sufficiency Act funding; updating statutory
language; directing funds allocated for professional
development to be used to provide certain training;
amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508E, which
relates to summer academies; expanding grade levels
for which summer academies may be provided; modifying
reason for which a student may participate in an
academy; removing requi rement to retain certain
student for not completing certain academy; updating
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statutory language; updating statutory refer ences;
amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508F, which
relates to reading competencies for certain teachers;
directing the Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability rather than the State Board of
Education to ensure certain teachers are provide d
certain training in the science of reading; directing
the Commission to develop and administer certain
assessment to certain teacher candidates beginning on
certain date; requiring candidates for certain
teaching certificates to complete instruction in t he
science of reading; amending Section 2, Chapter 288,
O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 1210.508H),
which relates to literacy instructional teams;
updating statutory language ; updating statutory
references; requiring electronic submission of
certain report; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section
1210.520, which relates to dyslexia screening;
updating statutory language ; updating statutory
references; providing for codification; providing an
effective date; and declaring an emergency .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1210.508I of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving
fund for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to be
designated the “Statewide Literacy Revolving Fund ”. The fund shall
be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and
shall consist of all monies received by the State Regents from state
appropriations provided for the purpose of implementing th e
provisions of subsection B of this section. All monies accruing to
the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be bud geted
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and expended by the State Regents for the purpose provided for in
this subsection. Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon
warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as
prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of Mana gement and
Enterprise Services for approval and payment.
B. Subject to the availability of funding, the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education shall utilize the Statewide Literacy
Revolving Fund created in subsection A of this section to:
1. Implement training in the science of reading in teacher
preparation programs accredited by the Commission for Educational
Quality and Accountab ility. For the purposes of this section,
training in the science of reading includes providing explicit and
systematic instruction in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension and implementing reading strategies
that research has shown to be successful in improving reading among
students with reading difficulties. Beginning with students
entering a teacher preparation program accredited by the Commission
for Educational Quality and Accountability in the 2025 -2026 academic
year, completion of training required by this paragraph shall lead
to a micro-credential in the science of reading which s hall be
reflected on teaching certificates awarded to such individuals; and
2. Support teacher preparation programs accredit ed by the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability in developing
and implementing a micro -credential in the science of reading for
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certified teachers employed by school districts and charter schools
in this state. A micro -credential awarded pursuant to this
paragraph shall be reflected on a teacher ’s certificate to teach.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -200, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 6-200. A. Subject to the availability of funds, the
State Board of Education shall have authority to develop and
administer training for residency committees and training for
professional development through professional development
institutes. Included in the professional development institutes
institute training shall be technology training. Professional
development institutes “Professional development institutes ” shall
be defined as continuing education experiences which consist of a
minimum of thirty (30) clock hours. The institutes shall be
competency-based, emphasize effective learning practices, require
collaboration among participants, and require each participant to
prepare a work product which can be utilized in the classroom by the
participant. Any state professional development institutes
administered by the B oard shall be chosen through a competitive bid
process and, if funds are available , subject to peer review. The
Board, prior to offering any professional development institute,
shall promulgate rules related to administering state professional
development institutes.
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B. The State Board of Education shall develop, offer , and
administer professional development institutes t o train elementary
school teachers in reading education and , if funds are available,
which may include but not be limited to grant, foundation, or other
funds, to train middle school teachers in reading education. Funds
appropriated for this purpose shall be used for the cost of
developing, administering , and contracting for the professional
development institutes. When possib le, certified reading
specialists shall be included as consultants. All costs of the
institutes shall be included in the contract price, and no tuition
or registration fee shall be collected from teachers attending the
institutes. The institutes shall be offered by or through the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability . Working in
conjunction with the State Department of Education, the Commission
shall develop a state plan for administration of such institutes and
shall report electronically on or before November 1 of each year to
the Governor and the Legislature on the format of and participation
in the institutes. T he State Department of Education shall
cooperate with and pr ovide any information requested, including data
available through the state student record system, to the State
Board of Education as is necessary to carry out the provisions of
this section.
C. Subject to the availability of funds, the State Board of
Education shall:
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1. Contract for an independent evaluation of the r eading
professional development institutes. The evaluation shall determine
adherence to program requirements as provided in this s ection and
the program’s effectiveness in increasing teacher knowledge and
student achievement; and
2. Provide continued support of the reading professional
development institutes through ongoing teacher development at
individual school sites. Funds may be used for the cost of mentor
training, payment for substitute teachers, on -site facilitation, and
any other costs necessary to ensure improved reading by students.
D. 1. For the purpose of implementing comprehensive reading
reform and systemic change, the State Board of Education shall award
one-year grants renewable for up to two (2) additional years to
public schools that serve students in kindergarten through third
grade. The grants will shall provide for:
a. a five-day initial professional developm ent institute
in elementary school reading for teachers of
kindergarten through third grade, instructional
leaders, and principals,
b. a three-day follow-up professional development
institute in elementary school reading for teachers of
kindergarten through third grade and instructional
leaders, and
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c. continued support through ongoing teacher development
at school sites, including four (4) days of
professional development for principals and literacy
resource specialists , and six (6) days of on -site
visits by a program consultant.
2. In order to qualify for a grant pursuant to this subsection,
the following requirements shall be met:
a. at least eighty percent (80%) of the teachers of
kindergarten through third grade at the school shall
have demonstrated su pport for the training program
provided pursuant to this sub section,
b. the principal shall ensure that all members of the
leadership team and all teachers of kindergarten
through third grade will participate in all phases of
the training program,
c. the school district shall ensure that any new teacher
of kindergarten through third grade or principal at
the school will particip ate in all phases of the
training program, and
d. the school district shall employ a literacy resource
specialist for at least two (2) years after completion
of the training provided in this subsection. One or
more districts may share a literacy resource
specialist upon approval of the Board.
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3. Any school which has been determined by the State Board of
Education to be a school in n eed of improvement shall be given
priority for receipt of a grant. Grants to local school districts
may be awarded based on the amount of funds allocated to the State
Board of Education for the purposes of this section. Funds may be
used for payment for substitute teachers, program consultants, on -
site facilitation, and literacy resource specialists.
4. For program evaluation purposes, each school awarded a grant
pursuant to this subsection shall provide to the Commission for
Educational Quality and Acco untability student-level data and
results of the reading assessments administered pursuant to the
Oklahoma School Testing Pro gram Act for the year prior to the grant
award, for each year a grant is received by the school, and for
three (3) years after comp letion of the program. If funds are not
sufficient to award grants to all eligible applicants, schools may
be placed on a waiting list for priority consideration for the
following year’s round of grant awards which shall be superior to
the priority given to schools as provided in paragraph 3 of this
subsection, if the school provides student data for the current year
to the Board as provided in this paragraph.
5. The professional development institutes in elementary
reading provided pursuant to this secti on shall incorporate the
requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Strong Readers Act.
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E. As additional funds become available for such purpose, the
Board shall develop and offer professional development institutes
in:
1. Mathematics for teachers in grades kindergarten through
nine;
2. The use of technology in the classroom;
3. Training of residency committee members in teache r
mentoring; and
4. Hands-on inquiry-based science for elementary teachers.
SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 70 O.S . 2021, Section 1210.508A,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1210.508A. Sections 1210.508A through 1210.508E
1210.508H of this title shall be known and may be cited as the
“Reading Sufficiency Act ” “Strong Readers Act”.
SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508B,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1210.508B. A. The Legislature fin ds that it is
essential for children in the public schools to read early and well
in elementary school. The Legislature further fi nds that clear and
visible goals, assessments to determine t he reading level at each
elementary school, annual use of a scientifically based and
researched methodology in reading instruction in addition to regular
and periodic measurements of elementary sc hool reading improvement,
and accountability in each level of the educational system will
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result in a significant increase in the number of children reading
at or above grade level.
B. The purpose of the Reading Sufficiency Act Strong Readers
Act is to ensure that each child attains the necessary reading
skills by completion of the third grade which will enable that
student to continue development of reading skills and to succeed
throughout school and life progression from one grade to another is
determined, in part, upon proficiency in reading, that school
district board of education policies facilitate reading instruction
and intervention services to address student reading needs, and that
each student and his or her parent or legal guardian be informed o f
that student’s reading progress.
C. Each public school di strict in this state shall ensure that
all students receive a well -rounded education that is focused on
building deep foundations in reading , writing, and mathematics. The
State Board of Educatio n shall encourage school districts to
integrate the teaching of the other curricular areas in the subject
matter standards adopted by the Board with the instruction of
reading, writing, and mathematics. All teachers of reading in the
public schools in thi s state in kindergarten through third grade
shall incorporate into instruction the five elements of reading
instruction which are phonemic phonological awareness, phonics
decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
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D. It is the intent of the Legislature that beginning with the
2025-2026 school year, school districts and charter schools in this
state shall be prohi bited from using the three -cueing system model
of teaching students to read. For the purposes of this section, the
“three-cueing system” means any model of teaching students to read
based on meaning, structure, syntax, and visual cues, which may also
be known as meaning, structure, and visual (MSV), balanced literacy,
or whole language.
SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1210.508C. A. 1. Each To identify students who ha ve a
reading deficiency including identifying students with
characteristics of dyslexia, each student enrolled in kindergarten
and first, second, and third grade in a public school in this st ate
shall be screened at the beginning, middle , and end of each school
year for reading skills including, but not limited to, phonemic
phonological awareness, letter recognition decoding, fluency,
vocabulary, and oral language skills as identified in the subject
matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education
comprehension. A screening instrument approved by the State Board
of Education, in consultation with the Commission for Educational
Quality and Accountability and the Secretary of Education, shall be
utilized for the purposes of this section. In determining which
screening instrument to approve, the State Board of Education, the
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Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, and the
Secretary of Education shall take into consideration at a minimum
the following factors:
1. The time required to con duct the screening instrument with
the intention of minimizing the impact on instructional time;
2. The timeliness in reporting sc reening instrument results to
teachers, administrators, and parents and legal guardians of
students; and
3. The integration of the screening instrument into reading
curriculum.
2. For those kindergarten children at risk for reading
difficulties at the be ginning of the year, teachers shall emphasize
reading skills as identified in the subject matter standards adopted
by the State Board of Education, monitor progress throughout the
year and measure mid -year and year-end reading progress.
3. Kindergarten students who are not meeting grade -level
targets by mid-year in reading shall be provided a program of
reading instruction designed to enable the student to acquire the
appropriate grade-level reading skills.
4. Classroom assistants, which may include paren ts,
grandparents, or other volunteers, shall be provided in kindergarten
classes to assist with the screening of students if a teacher aide
is not already employed to assist in a kindergarten classroom.
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B. Each student enrolled in first, second and third grade of
the public schools of this state shall be assessed at the beginning,
middle and end of each school year using a screening instrument
approved by the State Board of Education for the acquisition of
reading skills including, but not limited to, phon emic awareness,
phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
C. Any student enrolled in first, second or third g rade who is
assessed and who is not meeting grade -level targets in reading shall
be provided a program of reading instruction desig ned to enable the
student to acquire the appropriate grade l evel reading skills. The
program of reading instruction shall include provisions of the READ
Initiative adopted by the school district as provided for in
subsection P of this section. Throughout the year progress
monitoring shall continue, and diagnostic assessment, if determined
appropriate, shall be provided. Year -end reading skills shall be
measured to determine reading success.
D. The Beginning in the 2025 -2026 school year, the State Board
of Education shall approve no fewer than three (3) screening
instruments for use at the beginning , middle, and end of the school
year, for monitoring of progress , and for measurement of reading
skills at the end of the school year as required in subsections
subsection A and B of this section; provided, at least one of the .
The screening instruments shall meet the following crit eria:
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1. Assess for phonemic phonological awareness, phonics
decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;
2. Document the validity and reliability of each assessment;
3. Can be used for identifying students who are at risk for
reading deficiency and progress monitoring throughout the school
year;
4. Can be used to assess students with disabilities and English
language learners; and
5. Accompanied by a data management system that provides
profiles for of students, class, grade level , and school building.
The profiles shall identify each student ’s instructional point of
need and reading achievement level. The State Bo ard shall also
determine other comparable reading assessment s for diagnostic
purposes to be used for students at risk of reading failure. The
State Board shall ensure that any assessments approved are in
alignment with the subject matter standards adopted by the State
Board of Education.
E. C. 1. Exemptions to the screening requirements of this
section may be provided to stud ents who have documented evidence
that they meet at least one of the following criteria as related to
the provision of classroom in struction:
a. the student participates in the Oklahoma Alternate
Assessment Program (OAAP) and is taught using
alternate methods,
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b. the student’s primary expressive or receptive
communication is sign language,
c. the student’s primary form of written or r ead text is
Braille, or
d. the student’s primary expressive or receptive language
is not English, the student is identified a s an
English learner using a state -approved identification
assessment, and the student has had less than one (1)
school year of instruction in an English -learner
program.
2. A public school that grants an exemption pursuant to
paragraph 1 of this subsection shall provide ongoing evidence of
student progression toward English language acquisition with the
same frequency as administrat ion of screening assessments. Evidence
may include, but not be limited to, student progression toward OAAP
reading essential elements, proficiency in sign language and reading
comprehension, and proficiency in Braille and reading comprehension.
D. 1. Students who are administ ered a screening instrument
pursuant to subsection A of this section and are found not to be
meeting grade-level targets shall be provided a program of reading
instruction designed to enable students to acquire the appropriate
grade-level reading skills. The program of reading instruction
required in subsections A and B of this section shall be based on
scientific reading research and align with the subject matter
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standards adopted by the State Board of Education and shall include
provisions of the READ In itiative adopted by the school district as
provided for in subsection P of this section . A program of reading
instruction may include, but is not limited to shall include:
a. sufficient additional in -school instructional time for
the acquisition of phonemic phonological awareness,
phonics decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, and
comprehension,
b. if necessary and if funding is available , tutorial
instruction after regular school hours, on Saturdays ,
and during summer; however, such instruction may not
be counted toward the one -hundred-eighty-day or one-
thousand-eighty-hour school year required in Section
1-109 of this title, and
c. assessments identified for diagnostic purposes and
periodic monitoring to measure the acquisition of
reading skills including, but not limited to, phonemic
phonological awareness, phonics decoding, reading
fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as identified
in the student’s program of reading instruction ,
d. high-quality instructional materials grounded in
scientifically based reading research, and
e. a means of providing every family of a student in
prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first, second, and
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third grade access to free online evidence -based
literacy instruction resources to support the
student’s literacy development at home .
2. A student enrolled in kindergarten or first or, second,
grades or third grade who has been assessed as provided for in
subsection B of this section and found not to be meeting grade -level
targets in reading, exhibits a deficiency in reading at any time
based on the screening instrument administered pursuant to
subsection A of this section shall be entitled to supplemental
instructional services and supports in reading until the student is
determined by the results of a sc reening instrument to be meeting
grade-level targets in reading receive an individual reading
intervention plan no later than thirty (30) days after the
identification of the deficiency in reading . The reading
intervention plan shall be provided in additi on to core reading
instruction that is provided to all students. The reading
intervention plan shall:
a. describe the research -based reading intervention
services the student will receive to remedy the
deficiency in reading,
b. provide explicit and system atic instruction in
phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
and comprehension, as applicable,
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c. monitor the reading progress of each student ’s reading
skills throughout the school year and adjust
instruction according to the student ’s needs, and
d. continue until the student is determined to be meeting
grade-level targets in reading based on screening
instruments administered pursuant to subsection A of
this section or assessments identified for diagnostic
purposes and periodic monitoring pu rsuant to
subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
3. The program of reading instruction intervention plan for
each student identified with a deficiency in reading shall be
developed by a Student Reading Proficiency Team and shall include
supplemental instructional ser vices and supports. Each team shall
be composed of:
a. the parent or legal guardian of the student,
b. the teacher assigned to the student who had
responsibility for reading instruction in that
academic year,
c. a teacher who is res ponsible for reading instruction
and is assigned to teach in the next grade level of
the student, and
d. a certified reading specialist, if one is available.
4. A school district shall notify the parent or legal guardian
of any student in kindergarten or first, second, or third grade who
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exhibits a deficiency in reading at any time based on the screening
instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of this section.
The notification shall occur no later than thirty (30) days after
the identification of the deficiency in reading.
F. The program of reading instruction shall continue until the
student is determined by the resu lts of approved reading assessments
to be meeting grade-level targets.
G. E. 1. Every school district shall adopt , and implement a
district reading sufficiency strong readers plan which has had input
from school administrators, teachers, and parents and legal
guardians and if possible a reading specialist, and which shall be
submitted electronically to and approved by the State Boar d of
Education. The plan shall be updated annually. School districts
shall not be required to electronically submit the ann ual updates to
the Board if the last plan submitted to the Board was approved and
expenditures for the program include only expense s relating to
individual and small group tutoring, purchase of and training in the
use of screening and assessment measures, summer school programs ,
and Saturday school programs. If any expenditure for the program is
deleted or changed or any other type o f expenditure for the program
is implemented, the school district shall be required to submit the
latest annual update to the Board for approval. The district
reading sufficiency strong readers plan shall include a plan for
each site which includes an ana lysis of the data provi ded by the
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Oklahoma School Testing Program and other reading assessments
utilized as required in this section, and which outlines how each
school site will comply with the provisions of the Reading
Sufficiency Strong Readers Act.
2. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
implementation and evaluation of the provisions of the Reading
Sufficiency Strong Readers Act. The evaluation shall include, but
not be limited to, an analysis of the data required in subsection S
L of this section.
H. For any third-grade student found not to be meeting grade -
level targets as determined by reading assessments administered
pursuant to this section, a new program of reading instruction,
including provisions of the READ Initiative adopt ed by the school
district as provided for in subsection P of this section, shall be
developed by a Student Reading Proficienc y Team and implemented as
specified in subsection E of this section. In addition to other
requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Act, the plan may inclu de
specialized tutoring.
I. F. 1. Any first-grade, second-grade, or third-grade student
who demonstrates end of year proficiency in reading at the third-
grade level through a grade-level appropriate screening instrument
which meets the acquisition of reading skills criteria approved
pursuant to subsection B of this section shall not be subject to
retention pursuant to this section require a program of reading
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instruction or an individual reading intervention plan . After a
student has demonstrated profici ency through a screening instrument,
the district shall provide notification to the parent or legal
guardian of the student that they have he or she has satisfied the
requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Act and will not be subjec t
to retention pursuant to this section Strong Readers Act. The
district shall continue to monitor the student in the next
successive grade level to ensure he or she maintains proficiency.
2. If Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, if a third-
grade student is identified a t any point of the academic year as
having a significant reading deficiency, which shall be defined as
not meeting grade-level targets on a screening instrument which
meets the acquisition of reading skills criteria administered
pursuant to subsection B A of this section, the district shall
immediately begin a student reading portfolio as provided by
subsection L of this section and shall provide notice to the parent
of the deficiency pursuant to subsection J of this section provide
the student with intensi ve intervention services for the appropriate
amount of the instructional day consistent with the individual
reading intervention plan developed pursuant to paragraph 2 of
subsection D of this section and as determined by the Student
Reading Proficiency Team . Intensive intervention services shall
continue until the student demonstrates proficiency at his o r her
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grade level based on a screening instrument administered pursuant to
subsection A of this section.
3. If a student has not y et satisfied the profic iency
requirements of this section prior to the completion of third grade
and still has a significant reading deficiency, as identified based
on assessments administered as provided for in subsection B of this
section, has not accumu lated evidence of third -grade proficiency
through a student portfolio as provided in subsection L of this
section, or is not subject to a good-cause exemption as provided in
subsection L of this section, then the student shall not be eligible
for automatic promotion to fourth gr ade.
4. The minimum criteria for grade -level performance of third -
grade students pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act shall be that
students are able to read and comprehend grade -level text. To
determine the promotion and retent ion of third-grade students
pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act, the State Board of
Education shall use only the scores f or the standards for reading
foundations/processes and vocabulary portions of the statewide
third-grade assessment administered pur suant to Section 1210.5 08 of
this title and shall not use the scores from the other language arts
portions of the assessment. The performance levels established by
the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability pursuant
to Section 1210.508 of t his title shall ensure that students meeting
the performance-level criteria are performing at grade level on the
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reading foundations and vocabulary portions of the statewide third -
grade assessment.
5. a. A student not eligible for automatic promotion as
provided for under paragr aph 3 of this subsection and
who does not meet the criteria established by the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability
on the reading portion of the statewide third -grade
assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210 .508
of this title may be evaluated for probationary
promotion by the Student Reading Proficiency Team
which was created for the student pursuant to
subsection E of this section.
b. The student shall be promoted to the fourth grade if
the team members unan imously recommend proba tionary
promotion to the school principal and the school
district superintendent and the principal and
superintendent approve the recommendation that
promotion is the best option for the student. If a
student is allowed a probationa ry promotion, the team
shall continue to review the reading performance of
the student and repeat the requirements of this
paragraph each academic year until the student
demonstrates grade-level reading proficiency, as
identified through a screening instru ment which meets
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the acquisition of reading skills criteria pursuant to
subsection B of this section, for the corresponding
grade level in which the student is enrolled or
transitions to a locally designed remediation plan
after the fifth grade which shall have the goal of
ensuring that the student is on track to be college
and career ready.
6. Beginning with the 2017 -2018 school year, students who do
not meet the performance criteria established by the Commission for
Educational Quality and Accountability on the reading portion of the
statewide third-grade assessment administered pursuant to Section
1210.508 of this title, who are not subject to a good cause
exemption as provided in subsection L of this section, and who do
not qualify for promotion or prob ationary promotion as provided in
this subsection, shall be retained in the third grade and provided
intensive instructional services and supports as provided for in
subsection O of this section.
7. G. Each school district shall annually report in an
electronic format to the State Department of Education , the Office
of Educational Quality and Accountability, and the Secretary of
Education the number of students promoted to the fourth grade
pursuant to this subsection and the number of students promoted to a
subsequent grade pursuant to the provisions in paragraph 5 of this
subsection in kindergarten through third grade per grade level who
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exhibit grade-level reading proficiency, the number of students per
grade level who received intensive intervention serv ices pursuant to
paragraph 2 of subsection F of this section, the number of students
per grade level who attended a summer academy as provided for in
Section 1210.508E of this title, the number of students per grade
level who exhibited improved reading pro ficiency after completion of
intensive intervention services, and the number of students per
grade level who are still in nee d of intensive intervention
services. The State Department of Education shall publicly report
the aggregate and district -specific number of students prom oted
numbers submitted pursuant to this subsection on their its website
and shall provide electronic copies of the report to the Governor,
Secretary of Education, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker
of the House of Represent atives, and to the respective chairs of the
committees with responsibility for common education policy in each
legislative chamber.
J. H. The parent of any student who is found to have a reading
deficiency and is not meeting grade -level reading targets an d has
been provided a program of reading instruction as provided for in
paragraph 1 of subsection B D of this section shall be notified in
writing of the following:
1. That the student has been identified as having a substantial
deficiency in reading;
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2. A description of the current services that are provided to
the student pursuant to a conjoint measurement model such that a
reader and a text are placed on the same scale subsection D of this
section;
3. A description of the proposed supplemental instruc tional
intensive intervention services and supports that will be provided
to the student that are designed to remediate the identified area of
reading deficiency as provided for in paragraph 2 of subsection F of
this section;
4. That the a student will not be who is promoted to the fourth
grade if the reading deficiency is not remediated by the end of the
third grade, unless th e student is otherwise promoted as provided
for in subsection I of this section or is exempt for good cause as
set forth in subsect ion L of this section shall receive supplemental
intensive intervention services ;
5. Strategies for parents to use in helping their child succeed
in reading proficiency; and
6. The grade-level performance scores of the student ;
7. That while the results of the statewide assessments
administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title are the
initial determinant, they are n ot the sole determiner of promotion
and that portfolio reviews and assessments are available; and
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8. The specific criteria and pol icies of the school dis trict
for midyear promotion implemented as provided for in paragraph 4 of
subsection O of this section .
K. I. No student may be assigned to a grade level based solely
on age or other factors that constitute social promotion.
L. For those students who do not meet the academic requirements
for promotion and who are not otherwise promoted as provided for in
subsection I of this section, a school district may promote the
student for good cause only. Good -cause exemptions for promotion
shall be limited to the following:
1. English language learners who have had less than two (2)
years of instruction in an English language learner program;
2. Students with disabilities whose individualized education
program (IEP), consistent with state law, indicates that the student
is to be assessed with alternate achievement standards through the
Oklahoma Alternate Assessm ent Program (OAAP);
3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of performance
on an alternative standardized reading assessme nt approved by the
State Board of Education;
4. Students who demonstrate, through a student portfolio, that
the student is reading on grade level as evidenced by demonstration
of mastery of the state standards beyond the retention level;
5. Students with disabilities who participate in the statewide
assessments administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title
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and who have an individualized education program that reflects that
the student has received intensive remediation in reading and has
made adequate progress in read ing pursuant to the student ’s
individualized education program;
6. Students who have received intensive remediation in reading
through a program of reading instruction for two (2) or more years
but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who were
previously retained in prekindergarten for academic reasons,
kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade; and
7. Students who have been granted an exemption for medical
emergencies by the State Department of Education.
M. A student who is other wise promoted as provided for in
subsection I of this section or is promoted for good cause as
provided for in subsection L of this section shall be provided
intensive reading instruction that includes specialized diagnostic
information and specific reading strategies for each student until
the student meets grade -level targets in reading. The school
district shall assist schools and teachers to implement reading
strategies for the promoted students that research has shown to be
successful in improving rea ding among low-performing readers.
N. Requests to exempt students from the retention requirements
based on one of the good -cause exemptions as described in subsection
L of this section shall be made using the following process:
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1. Documentation submitted from the teacher of the student to
the school principal that indicates the student meets one of the
good-cause exemptions and promotion of the student is appropriate.
In order to minimize paperwork requirements, the documentation s hall
consist only of the alternative assessment results or student
portfolio work and the individual education plan (IEP), as
applicable;
2. The principal of the school shall review and discuss the
documentation with the teacher and, if applicable, the ot her members
of the Student Reading Proficiency Team as described in subsection E
of this section. If the principal determine s that the student meets
one of the good-cause exemptions and should be promoted based on the
documentation provided, the principal shall make a recommend ation in
writing to the school district superintendent; and
3. After review, the school district superintendent shall
accept or reject the recommendation of the principal in writing.
O. Each school district shall:
1. Conduct a review of the program of reading instruction for
all students who do not meet the performance criteria established by
the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability on the
reading portion of the statewide assessment administered pursuant to
Section 1210.508 of this title and did not meet the criteria for one
of the good-cause exemptions as set forth in subsection L of this
section. The review shall address additional supports and services,
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as described in this subsection, needed to remediate the id entified
areas of reading deficiency. The school district shall require a
student portfolio to be completed for each retaine d student;
2. Provide to students who have been retained as set forth in
subsection I of this section with intensive interventions in
reading, intensive instructional services and supports to remediate
the identified areas of reading deficiency, including a minimum of
ninety (90) minutes of daily, uninterrupted, scientific -research-
based reading instruction. Retained students shall be provided
other strategies prescribed by the school district, which may
include, but are not limited to:
a. small group instruction,
b. reduced teacher-student ratios,
c. more frequent progress monitoring,
d. tutoring or mentoring,
e. transition classes containing third- and fourth-grade
students,
f. extended school day, week, or year, and
g. summer reading academies as provided for in Section
1210.508E of this title, if available;
3. Provide written notification to the parent or guardian of
any student who is to be retained as set forth in subsection I of
this section that the student has not met the performance criteria
required for promotion and was not otherwise promoted and the
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reasons the student is not eligible for a good -cause exemption. The
notification shall include a description of proposed interventions
and intensive instructional supports that will be provided to the
student to remediate the identified areas of reading deficiency;
4. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a retained
student who can demonstrate that the student is a successful and
independent reader, is reading at or above grade -level targets, and
is ready to be promoted to the fourth grade. Tools that school
districts may use in reevaluating any retained student may include
screening assessments, alternative assessments, and portfolio
reviews, in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education.
Retained students may only be promoted midyear prior to November 1
and only upon demonstrating that the student has m et the performance
criteria established by the Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability on the reading portion o f the statewide third -grade
assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title,
or upon demonstrating proficiency i n reading at the third -grade
level through a screening instrument administered pursuant to
subsection B of this section, and upon showing progress sufficient
to master appropriate fourth -grade-level skills, as determined by
the school. A midyear promotion shall be made only upon agreement
of the parent or guardian of the student and the school principal;
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5. Provide students wh o are retained with a high -performing
teacher who can address the needs of the student, based on student
performance data and above -satisfactory performan ce appraisals; and
6. In addition to required reading enhancement and acceleration
strategies, provide students who are retained with at least one of
the following instructional options:
a. supplemental tutoring in scientific -research-based
reading services in addition to the regular reading
block, including tutoring before or after school,
b. a parent-guided “Read at Home” assistance plan, as
developed by the State Department of Education, the
purpose of which is to encourage regula r parent-guided
home reading, or
c. a mentor or tutor with specialized reading training.
P. Beginning with the 2011 -2012 school year, each school
district shall establish a Reading Enhancement and Acceleration
Development (READ) Initiative. The focus of the READ Initiative
shall be to prevent the retention of third -grade students by
offering intensive accelerated reading instr uction to third-grade
students who failed to meet standards for promotion to fourth grade
and to kindergarten through third -grade students who are exhibit ing
a reading deficiency. The READ Initiative shall:
1. Be provided to all kindergarten through third -grade students
at risk of retention as identified by the assessments administered
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pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act. The a ssessment used shall
measure phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary,
and comprehension;
2. Be provided during regular school hours in addition to the
regular reading instruction;
3. Provide a reading curriculum that, at a minimum, meets the
following specifications:
a. assists students assessed as exhibiting a reading
deficiency in developing the ability to read at grade
level,
b. provides skill development in phonemic awareness,
phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and
comprehension,
c. provides a scientific -research-based and reliable
assessment,
d. provides initial and ongoing analysis of the reading
progress of each student, and
e. is implemented during regular school hours,;
4. Establish at each school, where applicable, an Intensi ve
Acceleration Class f or retained third-grade students who
subsequently do not meet the performance criteria established by the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability on the reading
portion of the statewide assessment administered pursuant to Section
1210.508 of this title. The focus of the Intensive Acceleration
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Class shall be to increase the reading level of a child at least two
grade levels in one (1) school year. The Intensive Acceleration
Class shall:
a. be provided to any student in the third grade who doe s
not meet the performance criteria established by the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability
on the reading portion of the statewide assessments
and who was retained in the third grade the prior year
because of not meeting the performance criteria on the
reading portion of the statewide assessments,
b. have a reduced teacher -student ratio,
c. provide uninterrupted reading instruction for the
majority of student contact time each day and
incorporate opportunities to mas ter the fourth-grade
state standards in other core subject areas,
d. use a reading program that is scientific -research-
based and has proven results in accelerating student
reading achievement within the same school year,
e. provide intensive language and v ocabulary instruction
using a scientific-research-based program, including
use of a speech-language therapist, and
f. include weekly progress monitoring measures to ensure
progress is being made;
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5. Provide reports to the State Board of Education, upon
request, on the specific intensive reading interventions and
supports implemented by the school district. The State
Superintendent of Public Instruction shall annually prescribe the
required components of the reports; and
6. Provide to a student who has be en retained in the third
grade and has received intensive instructional services but is still
not ready for grade promotion, as determined by the school district,
the option of being placed in a transitional instructional setting.
A transitional setting s hall specifically be de signed to produce
learning gains sufficient to meet fourth -grade performance standards
while continuing to remediate the areas of reading deficiency.
Q. J. 1. Each school district board of education shall
annually publish on the sc hool website, and report in writing
electronically to the State Board Department of Education, the
Office of Educational Qual ity and Accountability, and the Secretary
of Education by September 1 of each year , the following information
on the prior school y ear:
a. the provisions of this section relating to public
school student progression and the policies and
procedures of adopted by the school district on
student retention and promotion board of education to
implement the provisions of this section. The
information submitted shall include expenditures
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related to implementing the provisions of this
section, the number of staff i mplementing the
provisions of this section, and average daily
classroom time devoted to implementing the provisions
of this section,
b. by grade, the number and percentage of all students in
grade three that did not meet the performance criteria
established by the Commission for Educational Quality
and Accountability on the reading portion of the
statewide assessment administered purs uant to Section
1210.508 of this title kindergarten through third
grade who did not meet grade -level targets based on a
screening instrument administered pursuant to
subsection A of this section ,
c. by grade, the number and percentage of all students
retained in grades three thr ough ten in kindergarten
through third grade who have been enrolled in the
district for fewer than two (2) years ,
d. information on the total number and percentage of
students who were promoted for good cause, by each
category of good cause as specified above, and by
grade, the number and percentage of students in
kindergarten through third grade who demon strated
grade-level proficiency based on a screening
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instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of
this section, and
e. any revisions to the policie s of the school district
on student retention and promotion from the prior year
by grade, the number and percentage of students in
kindergarten through third grade who are on an
individualized education program (IEP) in accordance
with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) and who demonstrated grade -level proficiency
based on a screening i nstrument administered pursuant
to subsection A of this section or an alternative
assessment prescribed by the student ’s IEP.
2. The State Department of Education shall establish a uniform
format for school districts to report the information required in
this subsection. The format shall be developed with input from
school districts and shall be provided not later than ninety (90)
days prior to the annual due date. The Department shall annually
compile the information required, along with state -level summary
information, and electronically report the information to the
public, the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the President Pro
Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
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R. K. The State Department of Education shall provide technical
assistance as needed to aid school districts in administering the
provision provisions of the Reading Sufficiency Strong Readers Act.
S. L. On or before January 31 of each year, the State
Department of Education shall issue electronically submit to the
Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives , and members of the Senate and House of
Representatives Education Committees committees with responsibility
over common education in both houses of the Legislature a Reading
Sufficiency Strong Readers Report which shall include, but is not
limited to, trend data detailing three (3) years of data,
disaggregated by student subgroups to include economically
disadvantaged, major racial or ethnic groups, students with
disabilities, and English language learners, as appropriate for the
following:
1. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
kindergarten through third grade determined to be at risk for
reading difficulties compared to the total number of students
enrolled in each grade;
2. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
kindergarten who continue to be at risk for reading difficulties as
determined by the year -end measurement of reading progress
administration of the screening instrument required subsection A of
this section;
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3. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students i n
kindergarten through third grade who have successfully completed
their program of reading instruction and are reading on grade level
as determined by the results of screening instruments approved
reading assessments administered pursuant to subsection A of this
section;
4. The statewide aggregate and district -specific number and
percentage of students that meet or do not meet the performance
criteria established by the Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability on the reading portion of the st atewide third-grade
assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title
grade-level targets for reading based on screening instruments
administered pursuant to subsection A of this section ;
5. The number of students tested, the number of st udents
promoted through meeting proficiency on a screening instrument as
provided for in subsection I of this section, the nu mber of students
promoted through each of the good -cause exemptions as provided for
in subsection L of this section and the number of students retained
and the number of students promoted through probationary promotion
as provided for in subsection I of this section for each elementary
site;
6. Data tracking the progression of students promoted through
each of the good-cause exemptions as provided for in subsection L of
this section and students promoted through probationary promotion or
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students who are retained in third grade as provided for in
subsection I of this section. The data shall include but not be
limited to information r egarding whether studen ts graduate on time;
7. The amount of funds for reading remediation received by each
district for implementation of the Strong Readers Act ;
8. 6. An evaluation and narrative interpretation of the report
data analyzing the impact of the Reading Sufficiency Strong Readers
Act on students’ ability to read at grade level;
9. 7. The type of reading instructi on practices and methods
currently being used by school districts in the state;
10. 8. Socioeconomic information, access to readin g resources
outside of school, and screening for and identification of learning
disabilities for students not reading at the appropriate grade level
by third grade in kindergarten and first through third grade ;
11. The 9. By grade level, the types of intensive remediation
intervention efforts being conducted by school districts to identify
best practices for students that who are not on an IEP and who are
not reading at the appropriate grade level and are not retained
under the provisions of this section and for students who ar e on an
IEP and who are not reading at the appropriate grade level ; and
12. 10. Any recommendations for improvements or amendments to
the Reading Sufficiency Strong Readers Act.
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The State Department of Education may contract with an
independent entity for the reporting and analysis requirements of
this subsection.
T. M. Copies of the results of the assessments screening
instruments administered pursuant to subsection A of this section
shall be made a part of the permanent record of each student.
SECTION 6. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508D,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1210.508D. A. Contingent on the provision of
appropriated funds designated for the Reading Sufficiency Strong
Readers Act, school districts may be allocated monies for each
enrolled kindergarten student or first -, second-, and third-grade
student of the current school year , including any student who has
been retained in the third grade pursuant to Section 1210.508C of
this title, who is found to be in need of remediation or intensive
intervention services in reading. The allocation shall be
distributed to each school district upon approval of the reading
sufficiency strong readers plan for the school district by the State
Department Board of Education and the submittal of a child -count
report to the State Department of Education that details the number
of students identified as needing remediation or intensive
intervention services in reading. To determine a per -student
allocation amount, the tot al amount of funds available for
allocation each year shall be divided by the total number of
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students in the state identified as in need of remediation or
intensive intervention services in reading as provided for in
Section 1210.508C of this title. Each school district shall be
allocated an amount equal to the per -student allocation amount
multiplied by the number of identified students enrolled in the
school district.
B. Beginning with the 2022 -2023 school year, districts
receiving more than Two Thousa nd Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00)
pursuant to subsection A of this section shall spend no less than
ten percent (10%) to provide professional development for teachers
teaching prekindergarten through grade five. The professional
development shall include training in the science of reading
including how students learn to read ; training in providing expli cit
and systematic instruction in phonological awareness, decoding,
fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension ; implementing reading
strategies that research has shown to be successful in improving
reading among students with reading difficulties ; as well as and
instructional materials required for implementation.
C. By June 30, 2022, the Department shall approve and publish a
list of professional development programs that are evidence -based
and directly address the cognitive science of how students learn to
read for which districts are permitted to use the funds received
under this section.
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D. If a teacher attends and completes a profes sional
development institute in elementary reading approved by the Oklahoma
Commission for Teacher Preparation Commission for Educational
Quality and Accountability during the summer or when school is not
in session, the teacher may receive a stipend equal to the amount of
the cost for a substitute teacher, based on the amount of funds
allocated.
SECTION 7. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508E,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1210.508E. A. If a teacher determines tha t a third-
grade student in kindergarten or first through third grade is not
reading at grade level by the end of the second quarter of the
school year, the parent or legal guardian of the student shall be
notified of:
1. The reading level of the student;
2. The program of reading instruction for the student as
required pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Strong Readers Act; and
3. The potential need for the student to participate in a
summer academy or other program designed to assist the student in
attaining grade-level reading skills.
B. A teacher who determines a third-grade student in
kindergarten or first through third grade is unable to meet
competencies required not meeting grade-level targets for reading
for completion of third grade and promotio n to fourth grade may,
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after consultation with the parent or legal guardian of the student,
recommend that the promotion of the student to the fourth grade is
contingent upon the participation participate in and successful
completion of the required compet encies for reading by t he student
at complete a summer academy or other program. If the student does
not participate in the summer academy or other program or does not
successfully complete the competencies in the summer academy or
other program, the stud ent shall be retained in the third grade as
set forth in Section 1210.508C of this title.
C. Summer academy programs shall b e designed to ensure that
participating students successfully complete the grade-level
competencies necessary in reading for promotion to fourth grade and
to enhance next-grade readiness. A summer academy reading program
shall be a program that incorporates the content of a scientifically
research-based professional development program administered by the
Oklahoma Commission for Teac her Preparation Commission for
Educational Quality and Accountability or a scientifically research -
based reading program admi nistered by the State Board of Education
and is taught by teachers who have successfully completed
professional development in the reading program or who are certified
as reading specialists.
D. School districts may approve an option for students who are
unable to attend a summer academy. The optional program may
include, but is not limited to, an approved private provider of
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instruction, approved computer - or Internet-based instruction, or an
approved program of reading instruction monitored by the paren t or
legal guardian. School districts shall not be required to pay for
the optional program , but shall clearly communicate to the parent or
legal guardian the expectations of the program and any costs that
may be involved.
E. Subject to the availability of funds, beginning one (1) year
after implementation of this section, the requirements of subsection
B of this section may be expa nded to apply to fourth-grade student
promotion to fifth students in fourth grade. Each year thereafter,
the requirements may be expanded by one grade level until the
requirements apply to third -grade students through eighth -grade
students. Summer academ y programs shall be des igned for each grade
level. Nothing in this section shall prevent the State Board of
Education or a school district board of education from utilizing
private, local, or federal funds to implement this section.
F. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement
the provisions of this section which shall include requirements for
instructional time for summer school academy programs, teacher
qualifications, and evaluation of student achievement as a result of
summer academy programs or other opti onal programs.
SECTION 8. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508F,
is amended to read as follows:
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Section 1210.508F. A. The State Board of Education Commission
for Educational Quality and Accountability shall ensure that the
reading competencies for elementary teachers are included in the
competencies for special education te achers.
B. The State Board of Education and the Commission for
Educational Quality and Accountability in collaboration with the
Oklahoma State Regents fo r Higher Education shall ensure that all
teachers of early childhood education, elementary education , and
special education are provided quality training in intervention,
instruction, and remediation strategies in order to meet the n eeds
of students in kindergarten through third grade who are determined
to be at risk of reading difficulties in the science of reading to
provide explicit and systematic instruction in phonological
awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehensi on and
implement reading strategies that research has shown to be
successful in improving reading among students with reading
difficulties. In addition, quality education for prospective
teachers shall be provided in research -based instructional
strategies for instruction, assessment , and intervention for
literacy development for all students , including advanced readers,
typically developing readers , and struggling readers who are coping
with a range of challenges , including, but not limited to, English
learners and learners wit h handicapping conditions and learning
disabilities (including dyslexia) , including dyslexia . Quality
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training shall include guidance from professional resources such as
the Report of the National Reading Panel, Response to Interven tion
guidelines, and professional organizations such as the Council for
Exceptional Children, International Dyslexia Associat ion,
International Literacy Association, National Council of Teachers of
English, and National Association for the Education of You ng
Children.
C. All institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
Education that offer elementary, early childhood education , or
special education programs approved by the Commission for
Educational Quality and Accountability shall incorporate i nto those
programs the requirement that teacher candidates study the five
elements of reading instruction which are phonemic phonological
awareness, phonics decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, and
comprehension. Teacher candidates shall study strategie s including,
but not limited to, instruction that is explicitly taught,
sequenced, multimodal (reading, writing, speaking, listening, hands -
on, etc.), multidisciplinary , and reflective to adapt for individual
learners.
D. Effective July 1, 2010 2025, teacher candidates enrolled in
an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education
in a special education , early childhood education, or elementary
education program approved by the Commission for Educational Quality
and Accountability shall pa ss, prior to graduation , a comprehensive
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assessment to measure their teaching skills in the area of reading
instruction. The assessment shall be developed and administered by
the institutions that offer special education programs that lead to
certification Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability .
The assessment shall measure the knowledge and understanding of the
teacher candidate in the teaching of the five elements of reading
instruction which are phonemic phonological awareness, phonics
decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The
results of the assessment shall be reported annually by the
institution to the Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability as a part of the included in the Commission ’s
required annual report for the each institution. The Commission
shall include the data in the annual report to the Oklahoma
Legislature as required pursuant to Section 6 -186 of this title. It
is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that teachers graduating
from institutions within The Okl ahoma State System of Higher
Education have the knowledge and skills to effectively teach reading
to all children.
E. Candidates applying for an alternative placement teaching
certificate or an emergency teaching certificate in elementary
education shall complete instruction in the science of reading as
determined by the Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability and the State Board of Education.
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SECTION 9. AMENDATORY Section 2, Chapter 288, O.S.L.
2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 202 3, Section 1210.508H), is amended to read as
follows:
Section 1210.508H. A. Beginning with the 2023 -2024 school
year, the State Department of Education shall establish a three -year
pilot program to employ a literacy instructional t eam to support
school districts in implementation of the requirements of Section
1210.508C of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statut es this title. The
Department shall provide technical assistance for literacy
instruction, dyslexia, and related disorders, and se rve as a primary
source of information and support for schools in addressing the
needs of students struggling with literacy, dyslexia, and related
disorders.
B. The Department shall employ a literacy instructional team
with team members who are placed reg ionally across the state. The
literacy instructional teams shall assist general education and
special education teachers in recognizing educational needs to
improve literacy outcomes for all students including those with
dyslexia or identified with the ri sk characteristics asso ciated with
dyslexia. The role of the literacy instructional team shall also
include increasing professional awareness and instructional
competencies to meet the educational needs of all students including
those with dyslexia or ide ntified with risk characteristics
associated with dyslexia. The Department shall prioritize supports
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and interventions inclu ding enrollment in reading trainings and
professional development for schools which have the highest
percentage of students who do not demonstrate suffici ent reading
skills as established by the State Board of Education.
C. Literacy instructional team members employed by the
Department shall have training in:
1. The science of how students learn to read including
phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension,
writing, and language;
2. Foundation of multisensory, explicit, systematic , and
structured reading instruction;
3. Identification of and the appropriate interventions,
accommodations, and teaching techniq ues for struggling stud ents;
4. The requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Strong Readers
Act;
5. Special education laws and procedures; and
6. Appropriate interventions, accommodations, and assistive
technology supports for students with dyslexia or a related
disorder.
D. The literacy instructional team members employed by the
Department shall report to the Program Director of Reading
Sufficiency for Literacy at the Department and have:
1. A minimum of five regional literacy leads, at least one who
shall be designated by t he Department as a dyslexia specialist to
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provide school districts with support and resources that are
necessary to assist students with dyslexia. The Department shall
give preference to educators applying for regional literacy lead
who:
a. have an endorsement or certification as a certified
structured literacy dyslexia specialist or certified
academic language therapist,
b. are knowledgeable of multitiered systems of support,
and
c. have been trained in the identification of and
intervention for dyslexia and related disorders
including best practice interventions and treatment
models for dyslexia; and
2. A minimum of ten literacy specialists. The Department shall
give preference to educators applying for literacy specialist who:
a. have training in the science of reading,
b. are knowledgeable of multitiered systems of support,
and
c. have been trained in the identification of and
intervention for dyslexia and related disorders
including best practice interventions and treatment
models for dyslexia.
E. The State Department of Education shall electronically
submit a report to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the
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Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December
31, 2026, that includes an evaluation of the p ilot program by school
districts, data on whether the program had an impact on increasing
the number of students who demonstr ate proficiency in reading, and
recommendations for changes to the Reading Sufficiency Strong
Readers Act.
SECTION 10. AMENDATORY 7 0 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.520,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1210.520. A. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year
and for each school year thereafter, any student enrolled in
kindergarten, first, second , or third grade in a public school in
this state who is assessed through the Reading Sufficiency Strong
Readers Act pursuant to Section 1210.50 8C of Title 70 of the
Oklahoma Statutes this title and who is not meeting grade -level
targets in reading after the beginning -of-the-year assessment shall
be screened for dyslexia. Screening also may be requested for a
student by his or her parent or legal guardian, teacher, counselor,
speech-language pathologist , or school psychologist.
B. No later than July 1, 2021, the State Board of Education
shall develop policies for dyslexia screening required under this
subsection and shall include, but not be limi ted to:
1. The definition and characteristics of dyslexia and related
language disorders;
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2. The process for referring students i n kindergarten and
grades one through three for screening;
3. A process for providing notification to parents or legal
guardians of the use of a qualified dyslexia -screening tool and
notification of the results of the screening;
4. A process for providin g the parents or legal guardians of
students screened for dyslexia with information and resource
material regarding dyslexia;
5. A process for monitoring the student ’s progress after the
positive identification of characteristics of dyslexia , or other
disorders; and
6. Requirements and qualifications for screeners that
demonstrate an understanding of and training to administer the
screening instrument.
C. The Board shall adopt a list of approved qualified dyslexia
screening tools that address the followi ng components, as
developmentally appropriate:
1. Phonological awareness;
2. Advanced phonemic awareness;
3. Sound symbol recognition;
4. Alphabet knowledge;
5. Decoding skills;
6. Encoding skills;
7. Rapid naming; and
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8. Developmental language.
D. Screening shall be co nducted in accordance with the policies
developed by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection B
of this section and the Oklahoma Dyslexia Handbook , including
policies and information developed relating to universal screeni ng
of kindergarten students for characteristics of dyslexia.
E. Beginning June 30, 2023, and for each year thereafter,
school districts shall provide the following data to the State
Department of Education:
1. The number of students by grade level in kin dergarten
through grade three who were screened for dyslexia in a school year;
2. The number of students by grade level in kindergarten
through grade three who were newly identified as having
characteristics of dyslexia in a school year;
3. The process or tools used to evaluate student progress;
4. The number of trained school system personnel or licensed
professionals used t o administer the qualified dyslexia screening
tool;
5. The number of students in kindergarten through grade three
who were participating in interventions within the school setting
and the number of students participating in interventions outside
the school setting; and
6. The programs used by districts for intervention within the
school setting.
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F. By December 31, 2023, and for eac h year thereafter, the
State Department of Education shall provide a report electronically
containing all of the information provided in subsection E of this
section to the Governor and Legislature and make the report
available on the Department ’s website.
G. As funds are avail able, beginning with the 2021-2022 school
year, the Department shall provide training on the best practices
for screening for dyslexia.
H. The State Board of Education may promulgate rules necessary
to implement the provisions of th is section.
SECTION 11. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 12. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reaso n whereof this act shal l take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
59-2-3801 EB 5/22/2024 4:47:52 PM