Bill > HB1295

This bill mandates the use of evidence-based instructional practices in reading and writing for public elementary students, with a particular focus on "structured literacy," which encompasses key components like language comprehension, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and fluency. It requires school districts, starting September 1, 2027, to adopt or update their reading and writing curricula for kindergarten through fourth grade to include these essential components and ensure they are diagnostic, responsive to individual needs, evidence-aligned, and aligned with state English language arts standards. The bill also directs the Washington professional educator standards board to update teacher endorsement standards to include these literacy competencies and encourages teacher preparation programs to incorporate them into their curriculum. Furthermore, it expands the educator literacy training program to cover all kindergarten through fourth-grade students, including those with indicators of dyslexia, and requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop and update a dyslexia handbook for parents and teachers. The bill also clarifies that charter schools and state-tribal education compact schools must adhere to these new curriculum requirements.