Bill > SB1628

This bill makes several changes to provisions concerning student evaluations, particularly focusing on gifted education and reading proficiency. For gifted students, it mandates that by the 2024-2025 school year, school districts must establish state-approved gifted programs if three percent or more of their students are identified as gifted, and by the 2027-2028 school year, all districts must implement universal screenings for giftedness for students before third grade, using a variety of evidence from at least two areas like general mental ability, academic achievement, or creativity, with a minimum of three trained staff members reviewing results for formal assessment referrals. The bill also clarifies that a child cannot be identified as gifted solely based on participation in advanced placement or international baccalaureate courses and that failure to meet criteria on a single screening or assessment tool will not prevent further consideration. Regarding reading proficiency, the bill establishes the "Missouri Universal Reading Screener" for students in grades one through three, which will be administered three times annually and will categorize students as "below basic," "basic," "grade-level," "proficient," or "advanced," with proficiency benchmarks set by the department of elementary and secondary education. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, students with a substantial reading deficiency at the end of third grade will be retained unless they score "basic" or higher on a retest or qualify for a good cause exemption, which includes students with disabilities, English language learners with less than two years of instruction, or students already retained once. The bill also requires districts to provide intensive reading instruction and support to students with reading deficiencies, including explicit, systematic, and diagnostic methods for students at risk of or diagnosed with dyslexia, and mandates annual reporting from school boards to the department of elementary and secondary education on retention, promotion, and reading deficiency data.

Education

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=3537628