Bill > HB2480

This bill, titled "K-3 reading; promotion; retention; penalties," aims to improve reading proficiency in young students by introducing new requirements and consequences for schools. Specifically, it mandates that the State Board of Education direct the Superintendent of Public Instruction to withhold ten percent of a school district or charter school's monthly state funding if fewer than a certain percentage of third-grade students score above the two lowest achievement levels on the statewide reading assessment, with these targets increasing from fifty percent in the 2027-2028 school year to seventy-five percent by the 2029-2030 school year. Schools facing funding withholding can submit a remediation plan to the State Board of Education to improve reading skills in kindergarten through third grade, and if approved, the withheld funds will be returned and must be used for instruction related to the remediation plan. The bill also revises the criteria for promoting third graders, stipulating that students scoring in the two lowest achievement levels on the reading assessment will not be promoted unless specific exceptions apply, such as being an English learner with limited instruction, undergoing special education evaluation, having a diagnosed reading impairment like dyslexia, or demonstrating sufficient progress through alternative assessments or previous retention and intervention. Furthermore, schools must provide parents with detailed notifications about their child's reading deficiencies and the available intervention and remedial strategies, and they must offer more than one evidence-based intervention strategy. The bill also introduces provisions for intensive acceleration classes for students not promoted from third grade and requires annual reporting on promotion and retention data for schools that promote students despite not meeting reading proficiency standards.

Education

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84256