Bill > HB2215

This bill aims to enhance literacy instruction in Arizona's K-3 public schools by requiring schools to have at least one teacher, literacy coach, or literacy specialist trained in dyslexia by July 1, 2022, and by July 1, 2027, each school site must have a literacy coach or specialist who facilitates professional learning, observes and provides feedback to teachers, evaluates professional development effectiveness, and offers expert support in literacy. Additionally, the bill mandates that by August 1, 2025, teachers providing literacy instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade must obtain a literacy endorsement, which includes evidence-based science of reading training and an assessment of their ability to teach foundational reading skills, implement high-quality materials, and provide effective interventions for students with reading difficulties, including those with characteristics of dyslexia; school districts and charter schools will be responsible for covering the costs associated with teachers obtaining this endorsement, excluding master's or graduate/undergraduate courses. The bill also modifies existing requirements for teacher certification, ensuring that alternative teacher preparation programs are not overly restrictive and that all approved educator preparation programs for elementary and early childhood education include the necessary courses for a literacy endorsement.

Education

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/83912