Bill Text: IA HF2229 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to reading proficiency assessments and intensive summer reading programs administered and provided by school districts. (See Cmte. Bill HF 2413)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-07 - Withdrawn. H.J. 426. [HF2229 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2015-HF2229-Introduced.html

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House File 2229 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  RUFF

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to reading proficiency assessments and
  2    intensive summer reading programs administered and provided
  3    by school districts.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
    TLSB 5479YH (12) 86
    kh/rj

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 31, paragraph a, Code
  1  2 2016, is amended to read as follows:
  1  3    a.  By July 1, 2013, adopt Adopt by rule guidelines for
  1  4 school district implementation of section 279.68, including
  1  5 but not limited to basic levels of reading proficiency on
  1  6 approved locally determined or statewide assessments and
  1  7 identification of tools that school districts may use in
  1  8 evaluating and reevaluating any student who may not be or who
  1  9 is determined not to be deficient reading proficiently and is
  1 10 persistently at risk in reading, including but not limited to
  1 11 initial assessments and subsequent assessments, alternative
  1 12 assessments, and portfolio reviews. The state board shall
  1 13 adopt standards that provide a reasonable expectation that a
  1 14 student's progress toward reading proficiency under section
  1 15 279.68 is sufficient to master appropriate grade four level
  1 16 reading skills prior to the student's promotion to grade four.
  1 17    Sec. 2.  Section 279.68, Code 2016, is amended to read as
  1 18 follows:
  1 19    279.68  Student progression == remedial intensive reading
  1 20  instruction == reporting requirements == promotion.
  1 21    1.  Reading deficiency and proficiency, assessments, parental
  1 22 notification, and promotion.
  1 23    a.  A school district shall assess all students enrolled
  1 24 in kindergarten through grade three at the beginning of each
  1 25 school year for their level of reading or reading readiness on
  1 26 locally determined or statewide assessments, as provided in
  1 27 section 256.7, subsection 31. A If a student is not reading
  1 28 proficiently and is persistently at risk in reading, based
  1 29 upon the assessments administered in accordance with this
  1 30 paragraph, the school district shall provide intensive reading
  1 31 instruction to any the student who exhibits a substantial
  1 32 deficiency in reading, based upon the assessment or through
  1 33 teacher observations. The student's reading proficiency shall
  1 34 be periodically reassessed by locally determined or statewide
  1 35 assessments including periodic universal screening and annual
  2  1 standard=based assessments. The student shall continue to be
  2  2 provided with intensive reading instruction until the student
  2  3 is reading deficiency is remedied at grade level, as determined
  2  4 by the student's consistently proficient performance on valid
  2  5 and reliable measures of reading ability.  For purposes of
  2  6 this section, "persistently at risk" means the student has not
  2  7 met the grade=level benchmark on two consecutive screening
  2  8 assessments administered under this paragraph.
  2  9    b.  The parent or guardian of any student in kindergarten
  2 10 through grade three who exhibits a substantial deficiency in
  2 11  is persistently at risk in reading, as described in paragraph
  2 12 "a", shall be notified at least annually in writing and shall be
  2 13 provided all of the following:
  2 14    (1)  That the child has been identified as having a
  2 15 substantial deficiency in reading.
  2 16    (2)  (1)  A description of the services currently provided to
  2 17 the child student.
  2 18    (3)  (2)  A description of the proposed supplemental
  2 19 instructional services and supports that the school district
  2 20 will provide to the child student that are designed to
  2 21 remediate the identified area of areas in which the student is
  2 22 persistently at risk in reading deficiency.
  2 23    (4)  (3)  Strategies for parents and guardians to use in
  2 24 helping the child succeed in reading proficiency student read
  2 25 proficiently, including but not limited to the promotion of
  2 26 parent=guided home reading.
  2 27    (4)  Regular updates regarding the student's progress
  2 28 toward reaching or exceeding the targeted level of reading
  2 29 proficiency.
  2 30    c.  Beginning May 1, 2017, unless the school district is
  2 31 granted a waiver pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph "e", if the
  2 32 student's student is persistently at risk in reading deficiency
  2 33 is not remedied by the end of grade three, as demonstrated by
  2 34 scoring on a locally determined or statewide assessment as
  2 35 provided in section 256.7, subsection 31, the school district
  3  1 shall notify the student's parent or guardian that the parent
  3  2 or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive summer
  3  3 reading program offered in accordance with subsection 2,
  3  4 paragraph "e". If the parent or guardian does not enroll the
  3  5 student in the intensive summer reading program and the student
  3  6 is ineligible for the good cause exemption under subsection
  3  7 5, the student shall be retained in grade three pursuant to
  3  8 subsection 3. If the student is exempt from participating in
  3  9 an intensive summer reading program for good cause, pursuant
  3 10 to subsection 5, or completes the intensive summer reading
  3 11 program but is not reading proficient proficiently upon
  3 12 completion of the program, the student may be promoted to grade
  3 13 four, but the school district shall continue to provide the
  3 14 student with intensive reading instruction until the student is
  3 15 proficient in reading proficiently as demonstrated by scoring
  3 16 on locally determined or statewide assessments administered
  3 17 under paragraph "a".
  3 18    2.  Successful progression for early readers.  If funds
  3 19 are appropriated by the general assembly for purposes of
  3 20 implementing this subsection, a school district shall do all
  3 21 of the following:
  3 22    a.  Provide students who are identified as having a
  3 23 substantial deficiency persistently at risk in reading under
  3 24 subsection 1, paragraph "a", with intensive instructional
  3 25 services and supports, free of charge, to remediate the
  3 26 identified areas of reading deficiency in which students are
  3 27 not proficient in reading, including a minimum of ninety
  3 28 minutes daily of scientific, research=based reading instruction
  3 29 and other strategies prescribed by the school district which
  3 30 may include but are not limited to the following:
  3 31    (1)  Small group instruction.
  3 32    (2)  Reduced teacher=student ratios.
  3 33    (3)  More frequent progress monitoring.
  3 34    (4)  Tutoring or mentoring.
  3 35    (5)  Extended school day, week, or year.
  4  1    (6)  Summer reading programs.
  4  2    b.  At regular intervals, apprise the parent or guardian of
  4  3 academic and other progress being made by the student and give
  4  4 the parent or guardian other useful information.
  4  5    c.  In addition to required reading enhancement and
  4  6 acceleration strategies, provide parents of students who are
  4  7 identified as having a substantial deficiency persistently at
  4  8 risk in reading under subsection 1, paragraph "a", with a plan
  4  9 outlined in a parental contract, including participation in
  4 10 regular parent=guided home reading.
  4 11    d.  Establish a reading enhancement and acceleration
  4 12 development initiative designed to offer intensive accelerated
  4 13 reading instruction to each kindergarten through grade three
  4 14 student who is assessed as exhibiting a substantial deficiency
  4 15  persistently at risk in reading. The initiative shall comply
  4 16 with all of the following criteria:
  4 17    (1)  Be provided to all kindergarten through grade
  4 18 three students who exhibit a substantial deficiency in are
  4 19 persistently at risk in reading under this section. The
  4 20 assessment initiative shall measure phonemic awareness,
  4 21 phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
  4 22    (2)  Be provided during regular school hours in addition to
  4 23 the regular reading instruction.
  4 24    (3)  Provide a reading curriculum that meets guidelines
  4 25 adopted pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 31, and at a
  4 26 minimum has the following specifications:
  4 27    (a)  Assists students assessed as exhibiting a substantial
  4 28 deficiency in who are persistently at risk in reading to
  4 29 develop the skills to read at grade level. Assistance shall
  4 30 include but not be limited to strategies that formally address
  4 31 dyslexia, when appropriate. For purposes of this subparagraph
  4 32 division (a), "dyslexia" means a specific and significant
  4 33 impairment in the development of reading, including but not
  4 34 limited to phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary,
  4 35 and comprehension, that is not solely accounted for by
  5  1 intellectual disability, sensory disability or impairment, or
  5  2 lack of appropriate instruction.
  5  3    (b)  Provides skill development in phonemic awareness,
  5  4 phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
  5  5    (c)  Includes a scientifically based and reliable
  5  6 assessment.
  5  7    (d)  Provides initial and ongoing analysis of each student's
  5  8 reading progress.
  5  9    (e)  Is implemented during regular school hours.
  5 10    (f)  Provides a curriculum in core academic subjects to
  5 11 assist the student in maintaining or meeting proficiency levels
  5 12 for the appropriate grade in all academic subjects.
  5 13    e.  Offer each summer, beginning in the summer of 2017,
  5 14 unless the school district receives a waiver from this
  5 15 requirement from the department of education for the summer of
  5 16 2017, an intensive summer literacy reading program for students
  5 17 assessed as exhibiting a substantial deficiency in who are
  5 18 persistently at risk in reading. The program shall meet the
  5 19 criteria and follow the guidelines established pursuant to
  5 20 section 256.9, subsection 53, paragraph "c", subparagraph (1),
  5 21 subparagraph division (g).
  5 22    f.  Report to the department of education the specific
  5 23 intensive reading interventions and supports implemented by the
  5 24 school district pursuant to this section. The department shall
  5 25 annually prescribe the components of required or requested
  5 26 reports.
  5 27    3.  Promotion to grade four.  In determining whether to
  5 28 promote a student in grade three to grade four, a school
  5 29 district shall place significant weight on any area in which
  5 30 the student is persistently at risk in reading deficiency
  5 31 identified pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph "a", that is
  5 32 not yet remediated. The school district shall also weigh
  5 33 the student's progress in other subject areas, as well as
  5 34 the student's overall intellectual, physical, emotional, and
  5 35 social development. A decision to retain a student in grade
  6  1 three shall be made only after direct personal consultation
  6  2 with the student's parent or guardian and after the formulation
  6  3 of a specific plan of action to remedy increase the student's
  6  4 reading deficiency skills until the student is reading at grade
  6  5 level.
  6  6    4.  Ensuring continuous improvement in reading proficiency.
  6  7    a.  To ensure all children are reading proficiently by the
  6  8 end of third grade, each school district shall address reading
  6  9 proficiency as part of its comprehensive school improvement
  6 10 plan, drawing upon information about children students from
  6 11 assessments and reassessments conducted pursuant to subsection
  6 12 1 and the prevalence of deficiencies areas in which students
  6 13 are persistently at risk in reading identified by classroom,
  6 14 elementary school, and other student characteristics. As part
  6 15 of its comprehensive school improvement plan, each school
  6 16 district shall review chronic early elementary absenteeism
  6 17 for its impact on literacy development. If more than fifteen
  6 18 percent of an attendance center's students are not proficient
  6 19 in reading proficiently and are persistently at risk in
  6 20 reading by the end of third grade, the comprehensive school
  6 21 improvement plan shall include strategies to reduce that
  6 22 percentage, including school and community strategies to raise
  6 23 the percentage of students who are proficient in reading at
  6 24 grade level.
  6 25    b.  Each school district, subject to an appropriation of
  6 26 funds by the general assembly, shall provide professional
  6 27 development services to enhance the skills of elementary
  6 28 teachers in responding to children's unique reading issues and
  6 29 needs and to increase the use of evidence=based strategies.
  6 30    5.  Good cause exemption.
  6 31    a.  The school district shall exempt students from the
  6 32 retention and intensive summer reading program requirements
  6 33 of subsection 1, paragraph "c", for good cause. Good cause
  6 34 exemptions shall be limited to the following:
  6 35    (1)  Limited English proficient students who have had
  7  1 less than two years of instruction in an English as a second
  7  2 language program.
  7  3    (2)  Students requiring special education whose
  7  4 individualized education program indicates that participation
  7  5 in a locally determined or statewide assessment as provided in
  7  6 section 256.7, subsection 31, is not appropriate, consistent
  7  7 with the requirements of rules adopted by the state board of
  7  8 education for the administration of chapter 256B.
  7  9    (3)  Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of
  7 10 performance on an alternative performance measure approved
  7 11 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 31.
  7 12    (4)  Students who demonstrate mastery through a student
  7 13 portfolio under alternative performance measures approved
  7 14 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 31.
  7 15    (5)  Students who have received intensive remediation in
  7 16 reading for two or more years but who are still demonstrate
  7 17 a deficiency persistently at risk in reading and who were
  7 18 previously retained in kindergarten, grade one, grade two,
  7 19 or grade three. Intensive reading instruction for students
  7 20 so promoted must include an altered instructional day that
  7 21 includes specialized diagnostic information and specific
  7 22 reading strategies for each student. The school district
  7 23 shall assist attendance centers and teachers to implement
  7 24 reading strategies that research has shown to be successful in
  7 25 improving reading among low=performing readers.
  7 26    b.  Requests For students described in paragraph "a",
  7 27 subparagraphs (3) and (4), a request for a good cause
  7 28 exemptions exemption from the retention requirement of
  7 29 subsection 1, paragraph "c", for students described in
  7 30 paragraph "a", subparagraphs (3) and (4), shall include
  7 31 documentation from the student's teacher to the school
  7 32 principal that indicates that the promotion of the student is
  7 33 appropriate and is based upon the student's academic record.
  7 34 Such documentation shall include but not be limited to the
  7 35 individualized education program, if applicable, report card,
  8  1 or student portfolio.
  8  2                           EXPLANATION
  8  3 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  8  4 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  8  5    This bill provides that a student in kindergarten
  8  6 through grade three who is not reading proficiently and is
  8  7 persistently at risk in reading based on locally determined
  8  8 or statewide assessments, must be provided intensive reading
  8  9 instruction by the school district and must be reassessed for
  8 10 reading proficiency using locally determined or statewide
  8 11 assessments, including periodic universal screening and annual
  8 12 standard=based assessments before the child is retained in
  8 13 grade three under the provisions of Code section 279.68.
  8 14    The bill also replaces references relating to a student's
  8 15 "substantial deficiency in reading" with references to a
  8 16 student who is "persistently at risk in reading", which
  8 17 is defined to mean the student has not met the grade=level
  8 18 benchmark on two consecutive screening assessments administered
  8 19 in accordance with the Code provision, and makes related
  8 20 changes as necessary. For consistency, the bill also replaces
  8 21 one reference to "intensive summer literacy program" with
  8 22 "intensive summer reading program", and replaces references to
  8 23 "child" with "student".
  8 24    Currently, the parent or guardian of such a student shall be
  8 25 notified at least annually that the child has been identified
  8 26 as having a substantial deficiency in reading, and shall be
  8 27 given a description of the services currently provided to the
  8 28 child, a description of the proposed supplemental instructional
  8 29 services and supports that the school district will provide
  8 30 to the child to remediate the identified area of reading
  8 31 deficiency, and strategies for parents and guardians to use
  8 32 in helping the child succeed in reading proficiency.  The
  8 33 bill strikes the requirement that the information be provided
  8 34 annually, but adds that the school district must provide the
  8 35 parent or guardian of a student who is not reading proficiently
  9  1 and who is persistently at risk in reading with regular updates
  9  2 regarding the student's progress toward reaching or exceeding
  9  3 the targeted level of reading proficiency.
  9  4    The bill makes corresponding changes.
       LSB 5479YH (12) 86
       kh/rj