Bill > S09747

This bill, known as the "right to read act," mandates that school districts provide reading and literacy instruction and services for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade that are "evidence-based," meaning they are supported by reliable scientific evidence and have a proven track record of improving reading skills like phonemic awareness (understanding individual sounds in words), phonics (letter-sound relationships), vocabulary development, reading fluency (reading accurately and smoothly), and reading comprehension (understanding what is read). The bill also requires that this programming align with the state's culturally-responsive sustaining education (CRSE) framework, which aims to create inclusive learning environments that affirm students' identities and prepare them for academic rigor and social change. Furthermore, all teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade must receive professional development in reading education, with new teachers needing at least thirty-five hours of evidence-based training, and existing teachers able to demonstrate proficiency through completed courses or their teacher preparation program. The bill also directs the state education department to develop lists of approved evidence-based curricula and professional development programs, explicitly prohibiting methods like "three-cueing" (using meaning, structure, and visual cues to guess unknown words), and requires districts to provide parents with regular progress reports on their child's literacy development.