Bill > HB4420

Introduced Session

An Act relating to the Strong Readers Act; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508A, as amended by Section 3, Chapter 411, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508A), which relates to the short title of the act; updating references; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508B, as amended by Section 4, Chapter 411, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508B), which relates to legislative findings; declaring intent of the Legislature; defining terms; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C, as last amended by Section 2, Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508C), which relates to reading screenings; including reading deficiencies for identification in screenings; requiring the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability to evaluate three screening instruments; requiring the State Department of Education to choose one screening instrument; adding criteria to screening instrument; eliminating duplicative language; removing reference to additional reading assessments; eliminating reference to programs of reading instruction; eliminating reference to program of reading instruction requirements; providing students who are not meeting grade-level reading targets with Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading intervention programs; including certain fourth-grade students in receiving reading intervention plans; adding principal or designate to reading intervention team; requiring monthly progress updates to parents; requiring benchmarks for screening instrument results; requiring annual analysis and reporting of screening instruments tiers; prohibiting digital technology from solely being used in reading intervention; requiring reading specialist or interventionist input for a district's strong reader plan; requiring annual updates only for changes made to the plan; eliminating reference to reporting exceptions for annual plan updates; eliminating reference to students who are reading proficient and parental notifications for proficient students; eliminating duplicate language; requiring retention review for certain kindergarten, first, and second-grade students; allowing consideration of student growth for certain retention determinations for first, and second grade students; requiring summer tutoring or summer reading academy option for certain kindergarten, first, and second-grade students; allowing re-screening of retained kindergarten, first, and second-grade students; exempting certain second-grade students from third- grade retention requirements; requiring parental notifications for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions; requiring Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions for certain incoming third-grade students; requiring a review of progress and additional services for certain incoming third-grade students; requiring demonstration of sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade beginning in the 2027-2028 school year; mandating that third-grade students be retained in the third grade if certain conditions are not met; providing good-cause exemptions from third-grade retention; allowing option for parents to retain student when good-cause exemption applies; implementing a good-cause exemption request process; adding parental notification requirement of student retention; clarifying certain students are subject to screening and testing requirements when re-entering public school system; requiring additional reading intervention supports for retained students beginning in the 2028-2029 school year; detailing additional support and services to be provided to retained students; requiring parental notification of a Read at Home Plan; adding school district reporting and publication requirements; adding State Department of Education reporting requirements; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508D, as amended by Section 6, Chapter 411, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508D), which relates to funding; adding a base allocation of funds for schools to support the Strong Readers Act on a per student basis; changing the funding amount weights schools may receive for students who need reading remediation; clarifying that supplemental funding is for Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading interventions; requiring the Board of Education to promulgate rules; providing incentive funding to schools that demonstrate certain student progress out of Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading interventions; eliminating references to certain provisional development allocations; eliminating reference to certain professional development stipend; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508E, as amended by Section 7, Chapter 411, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508E), which relates to summer academy programs; clarifying that summer reading academies shall include Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention services to correct reading deficiencies; requiring school districts to provide summer reading academies or Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading intervention programs to certain students; mandating minimum hours of instructional time; requiring certain reading intervention options to be provided to third through eighth grades within certain timeframe; requiring school districts to report on Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading intervention options; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508F, as last amended by Section 3, Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508F), which relates to teacher training requirements; eliminating reference to adjuncts; providing professional development options; clarifying instruction to prospective teachers; mandating that teacher candidates receive certain instruction regarding balanced literacy and whole language models; amending Section 2, Chapter 288, O.S.L. 2023, as amended by Section 9, Chapter 411, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508H), which relates to the literacy instructional team; making the literacy instructional team pilot program permanent; changing team language to coaches; requiring literacy coaches to provide certain job support for K-3 teachers, schools, and administrators; requiring certain training; requiring minimum regional literacy coaches; giving priority to teachers with certain degrees and experience; allowing districts to use currently employed literacy coaches under certain circumstances; requiring the Department to develop academies for teachers to obtain early literacy micro-credentials for certain districts; providing literacy coach assignment criteria; providing literacy coach duties; withholding certain funding if schools decline help from literacy coaches; requiring Department of Education to provide stipends and program fees for certain teacher training academies; creating the Strong Readers Revolving Fund; designating source of funds; designating Department to receive and expend funds; requiring donors to designate specific places to receive monies; requiring strict adherence to donor designations; providing additional monetary uses; providing for codification; and declaring an emergency.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Kyle Hilbert (R)*,  Adam Pugh (R)*,  Nick Archer (R),  Chad Caldwell (R),  Emily Gise (R),  Rob Hall (R),  Erick Harris (R),  Toni Hasenbeck (R),  Brian Hill (R),  Dell Kerbs (R),  Mike Lay (R),  Mark Lepak (R),  Ken Luttrell (R),  Daniel Pae (R),  Clay Staires (R),  Max Wolfley (R), 

Second Reading referred to Education Committee then to Appropriations Committee (on 04/01/2026)

Official Document