Bill > S1068

This bill revises various aspects of Florida's education system, primarily focusing on improving reading instruction and intervention for students. It strengthens the duties of the Just Read, Florida! Office to include training on explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading strategies, and to identify effective research-based reading interventions. The bill also mandates that teacher preparation programs and candidates for educator certificates demonstrate competence in specific reading instruction and intervention techniques, particularly for early grades. Furthermore, it enhances requirements for school improvement plans and early warning systems to identify students at risk of academic failure, with a focus on reading deficiencies. The bill also introduces new provisions for identifying and supporting students with reading difficulties, including requirements for intensive interventions and parental notification, and updates standards for prekindergarten instructors and programs to emphasize emergent literacy skills. Finally, it modifies requirements for professional development for educators to include training in reading instruction and intervention, and updates reporting requirements for school districts regarding student progress and effective reading strategies.