Bill Text: MS HB1213 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi House Bill 1213

Introduced

Bill Title: Adolescent Literacy Initiatives; require MDE to establish for Grades 4-8.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB1213 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-HB1213-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations A

By: Representative McCarty

House Bill 1213

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE ADOLESCENT LITERACY INITIATIVE FOR GRADES FOUR THROUGH EIGHT TO IMPROVE READING AND WRITING PROFICIENCY THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED AND SCIENTIFICALLY RESEARCHED INSTRUCTION; TO DEFINE KEY TERMS RELATED TO THE SCIENCE OF READING, DYSLEXIA, ASSESSMENTS, INTERVENTIONS AND HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS; TO REQUIRE STATEWIDE ALIGNMENT OF LITERACY STANDARDS, ASSESSMENTS AND CURRICULA WITH THE SCIENCE OF READING AND TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF BALANCED LITERACY AND THREE-CUEING SYSTEMS; TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, JOB-EMBEDDED COACHING AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTENT AREA TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL; TO REQUIRE UNIVERSAL SCREENING, DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS, TARGETED INTERVENTIONS AND INDIVIDUAL READING PLANS FOR STUDENTS WITH READING DEFICIENCIES; TO MANDATE PARENTAL NOTIFICATION, ONGOING PROGRESS MONITORING, ANNUAL REPORTING AND STATE OVERSIGHT; TO REQUIRE THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OF READING SPECIALISTS AND DYSLEXIA THERAPISTS; TO AUTHORIZE ENFORCEMENT AND FUNDING BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSE

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Sections 1 through 11 of this act shall be known and may be cited as the "Adolescent Literacy Initiative."

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that each student's progression from one grade to another be determined, in part: upon proficiency in reading and writing; that district school board policies facilitate reading instruction and intervention services to address student reading and writing needs; and that each student and his or her parent or guardian be informed of that student's progress.

The fundamental goal of an education system is to enable each student to develop the skills necessary for success in school and life. The Nation's Report Card reflects no statistically significant improvement in Grade 8 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading scores in thirty (30) years, from 1992 through 2024, with one-third (1/3) of the nation's eighth grade students reading below the basic level. It is the ultimate goal of this Legislature that every student becomes a skilled reader through: (i) the implementation of evidence-based reading instruction, which has been proven to accelerate the progress of all students, including those exhibiting a reading deficiency; and (ii) the coordinated integration of content areas in text reading, text discussion, and writing in response to reading.

Therefore, the Legislature finds that it is essential for a system of supports to be provided for students in middle grades who continue to demonstrate difficulty with foundational reading and writing skills.

SECTION 2. As used in Sections 1 through 11 of this act, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this section, unless the context of use clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Science of reading" refers to the large body of evidence that informs how proficient reading and writing develop; why some students have difficulty; and how educators can most effectively assess, teach and, therefore, improve student outcomes through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties.

(b) "Three-cueing system" is any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues, which may also be known as "MSV". This model is antiquated, misaligned with the science of reading, and largely ineffective, especially for students with dyslexia.

(c) "System of assessments" means a comprehensive assessment system which provides screening, diagnostic, and summative assessments for use in a school district or charter school. The system of assessments shall assess key indicators of reading success, including word recognition, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.

(d) "Universal screener" means an assessment that is administered three (3) times per year (beginning, middle, and end) to identify or predict students who may be at risk for reading failure and is typically brief and conducted with all students at a particular grade level.

(e) "Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)" is a framework for supporting and increasing academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes for all students.

(f) "High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)" refers to instructional curricula and intervention programs, including, but not limited to, textbooks, teacher guides and supplemental materials, that are grounded in the science of reading and evidenced-based research approaches which help all students achieve grade level learning goals. HQIM incorporates best practices for building skills essential to reading, follow a sequential order of lessons which are explicit, systematic, and cumulative, contain challenging texts that build student background knowledge, support academic language development, and critical thinking skills across core content areas, and are aligned to a state's academic standards. These materials are rigorous, comprehensive and regularly reviewed and updated to align to research and best practices. They also provide curriculum-specific professional development that prepares teachers to effectively plan and prepare lessons and assessments, differentiate instruction and monitor student progress.

(g) "Evidence-based" references instructional strategies or practices with clear and convincing proof from scientifically based research studies which have been peer-reviewed.

(h) "Scientifically based reading research" applies rigorous, systematic, and objective methods to gain knowledge from multiple disciplines to understand how children learn to read, strategies and methods which can be used to teach children to read, and how they can overcome reading difficulties.

(i) "Department" is the State Department of Education.

(j) "Dyslexia" is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

(k) "Dyslexia screening" is a brief assessment which measures critical skills which identify potential risks and is a predictor of future reading success.

(l) "Comprehensive dyslexia evaluation" is the process of gathering information to identify factors contributing to a student's difficulty learning to read and spell. An evaluation encompasses identification, screening, testing, diagnosis and all the other information gathering involved when the student, his or her family, and a team of professionals work together to determine why the student is having difficulty.

(m) "Dyslexia diagnosis" is a clear diagnostic statement included in a written evaluation report to document the presence of dyslexia. The evaluation is conducted by a professional psychologist, psychometrist, or speech-language pathologist.

(n) "Structured literacy" is an evidence-based approach to teaching oral and written language aligned to the science of reading. It is based on the science of how kids learn to read and is characterized by direct explicit, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction in phonology, phonemic awareness, sound-symbol association, syllable instruction, morphology, syntax and semantics.

(o) "Reading intervention" includes evidence-based strategies from scientifically based reading research frequently used to improve reading where deficiencies exist and includes, but is not limited to, individual instruction, multisensory approaches, dyslexia therapy, tutoring, mentoring, or the use of technology that targets specific reading skills and abilities.

(p) "Accommodations" allow a student to complete the same assignment or test as other students, but with a change in the timing, formatting, setting, scheduling, response and presentation. Accommodation is provided for both testing and instruction and changes the way students access information and demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities without lowering learning or performance expectations and without changing academic standards or what is being measured. The purpose is to ensure equal access to the full school experience for students with dyslexia or other learning disabilities (e.g., providing extended exam time for a student who has slow processing speed affecting academic fluency). Accommodation does not change the content of instruction, give students an unfair advantage, or change the skills or knowledge that a test measures.

(q) "Educator Preparation Program" or "EPP" means any program that prepares individuals for certification as educators, school administrators, or other school personnel.

(r) "Content area teacher" includes all subject area teachers.

(s) "Multilingual students" include newcomers or students with limited or interrupted education.

SECTION 3. The department shall provide a system of support for school and district instructional leaders, content area teachers, literacy coaches, dyslexia therapists, interventionists, tutors, and other identified personnel across content areas of fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to support students with reading difficulties. The system of support shall include:

(a) Professional learning for district instructional leaders, principals, school level literacy leaders, content area teachers, special education teachers, literacy coaches, dyslexia therapists, interventionists, tutors, ELL teachers and other identified personnel across content areas of fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students on the following:

(i) Comprehensive training grounded in the science of reading to ensure all teachers have the knowledge and skills to support a range of students with diverse needs, students with reading difficulties, multilingual students, and students with characteristics of or diagnosis of dyslexia, including:

1. Explicit, systematic, developmentally and age-appropriate instruction in phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, oral language development, decoding, encoding, fluency including accuracy, morphology � including morphological awareness and etymology, vocabulary, syntax, comprehension and building content knowledge;

2. Strategies to increase educator knowledge of reading and writing basics for students in Grades 4 through 8;

3. Evidence-based strategies for motivating and engaging adolescent learners;

4. Scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading strategies for accommodations and scaffolding instruction for struggling readers and writers; and

5. Approaches to assist educators in determining causes of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, and other learning differences, for students in Grades 4 through 8 and how word reading, vocabulary, content knowledge, comprehension and writing are affected; and

(ii) The department-approved assessment system selected by school districts to ensure teachers have the knowledge and skills to administer the assessment and use the assessment data to inform instruction based on student needs (i.e., universal screening, diagnostic screening, summative assessment);

(b) Job-embedded coaching support for teachers of Grades 4 through 8 that shall include the following:

(i) Provide on-site teacher training on evidence-based reading strategies and data-based decision making;

(ii) Demonstrate lessons;

(iii) Co-teach and/or observe teaching;

(iv) Provide immediate feedback for improvement; and

(v) Provide support to teachers and administrators in data-based decision making; and

(c) Educator preparation programs that equip candidates seeking certification for elementary, special education and secondary education with training and instruction to:

(i) Effectively teach reading aligned to scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading instruction, including explicit and systematic instruction in phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, decoding, encoding, fluency, morphology including etymology, syntax, vocabulary, comprehension and building content knowledge;

(ii) Implement reading instruction using high-quality instructional materials;

(iii) Provide training on the identification of students not reading on grade level, the selection of appropriate interventions, and effective instruction and interventions for a range of students with diverse needs, including multilingual students, students with characteristics of dyslexia, or diagnosed with dyslexia;

(iv) Understand and use student data to make instructional decisions; and

(v) Incorporate literacy instruction across content areas.

SECTION 4. (1) State standards for literacy in kindergarten through Grade 8 shall align with evidence-based strategies and scientifically based reading research, and all students shall have access to high-quality Tier 1 core instruction that is differentiated to meet students' diverse needs.

(2) The State Department of Education shall develop a list of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) core literacy curricula, interventions and supplemental materials aligned with scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading instruction and state standards for use in districts for students in Grades 4 through 8. Standards, as well as HQIM, shall be designed to address word recognition and language comprehension skills, build background knowledge and expand students' knowledge across content areas. Balanced literacy, including, but not limited to, the three-cueing systems model, which research shows is inconsistent with scientifically based reading instruction and the science of reading, shall not be used to teach reading in Mississippi public schools, state agencies or by anyone who receives state funding. The list shall be approved by the State Board of Education.

(3) The department shall provide an approved list of one or more reliable and valid reading assessment systems for school district use for screening and monitoring student progress toward becoming a skilled reader. The reading assessment system shall:

(a) Provide a screener to be administered three (3) times per year (beginning, middle, and end) with progress monitoring capabilities and a diagnostic tool to support teachers with targeting instruction based on student needs;

(b) Measure, at a minimum, fluency and comprehension; and

(c) For students who demonstrate difficulty with these skills, additional diagnostic screening in foundational skills (phonological awareness and phonics) is provided to identify specific skill deficits.

(4) In determining which assessment systems to approve for use by school districts, the department shall also consider, at a minimum, the following factors:

(a) The time required to conduct the assessment, with the intention of minimizing the impact on instructional time;

(b) The availability of accommodation for students with specialized plans;

(d) The integration of assessment and instruction the system provides.

(5) Districts shall offer reading intervention services to each fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade student who exhibits deficiencies in reading based upon the approved literacy screener administered within the first thirty (30) days of school, middle of the year, and end of the year and subsequently administered diagnostics to inform targeted interventions. Reading intervention shall be provided to struggling students in addition to core reading instruction that is provided to all students in the general education classroom. School districts should adhere to the MTSS guidance process for Mississippi and shall consider multiple data points. These services shall:

(a) Ensure that all students in Grades 4 through 8 who are identified with reading deficiencies, as determined by the department, must be provided with appropriate interventions. This includes students who meet the approved assessments system cut scores, fourth grade students promoted from third grade with a good cause exemption, students receiving special education services, students diagnosed with or showing characteristics of dyslexia, and multilingual learners;

(b) Ensure the determination for the need for intervention will be made by the examination of multiple data points, including a diagnostic assessment within the first thirty (30) days of school;

(c) Provide explicit and systematic instruction in age and developmentally appropriate phonological awareness, phonics including decoding and encoding, fluency, vocabulary, morphology and comprehension, as applicable;

(d) Provide explicit and systematic reading strategies to develop reading strategies in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, with more extensive opportunities for guided practice, error correction and feedback;

(e) Monitor the reading progress of each student's reading skills throughout the school year and provide differentiated instruction based on screening, diagnostic and progress monitoring to adjust instruction to meet students' specific needs;

(f) Be implemented during regular school hours in addition to any offerings provided before, during or after school with a trained educator;

(g) Be implemented by a reading specialist, dyslexia therapist, interventionist or school-based coach who shall have training in scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading instruction, fidelity to the selected intervention and evidence-based literacy instruction practices; and

(h) Be age and developmentally appropriate interventions should primarily be delivered by a trained educator. If technology is used, it will serve as supplemental support.

(6) Local school boards, in collaboration with district literacy leaders, shall develop and implement programs of prevention, intervention, or remediation for students who are educationally at-risk including, but not limited to, those who fail to achieve a passing score on the English-Language Arts state summative assessment in Grades 3 through 8, multilingual students and students who show characteristics of or diagnosed with dyslexia in middle grades. Such programs shall include strategies and methods that are proven through scientifically researched and evidence-based instruction. Local school boards shall also implement programs in Grades 4 through 8 to enhance success.

(7) Each local school board shall employ at least one (1) reading specialist, interventionist, and/or dyslexia therapist in any school serving fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth grade students. Each such reading specialist shall be required to participate in professional learning grounded in the science of reading to include:

(a) Training in the identification of and the use of appropriate interventions, accommodations and teaching techniques for students with dyslexia or a related reading disorder and shall serve as an advisor on dyslexia and related reading disorders; and

(b) State approved training on the definition of dyslexia and knowledge of:

(i) Techniques to help a student with dyslexia on the continuum of skills;

(ii) Dyslexia characteristics that may manifest at different ages and grade levels;

(iii) The basic foundational keys to reading, including direct, explicit, sequential, systematic and multisensory and multimodal reading instruction; and

(iv) Appropriate interventions, accommodations and assistive technology support for students with dyslexia.

SECTION 5. Any fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth grade student who exhibits deficiencies in reading at any time, based upon the vetted and approved assessment system, shall receive an individual reading plan no later than thirty (30) days after the identification of the reading deficiency. The individual reading plan shall be created by the teacher, interventionist, principal, other pertinent school personnel and the parent or legal guardian, and shall describe the scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading intervention services the student shall receive to remedy the reading deficit. If at all possible, students and parents should have a voice in scheduling decisions especially when changes affect classes or electives the student values. Each student shall receive intensive reading intervention until the student no longer has a deficiency in reading as determined by multiple data points, including an approved literacy screener, diagnostic assessment, and the state's summative assessment. The individual reading plan shall follow the template provided by the department and include the documentation of reading intervention services and strategies outlined within the MTSS Guidance Document, which, at a minimum, shall include:

(a) The student's specific deficiencies in reading as determined or identified by diagnostic assessment data or the literacy screener provided or approved by the department;

(b) The goals and benchmark cut scores for student growth in reading;

(d) The alignment to an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for students who receive special education services;

(e) The specific evidence-based literacy instruction that the student will receive;

(f) The strategies, resources, and materials that will be provided to the student's parent or guardian to support their student at home in making reading progress;

(g) Any additional services the teacher deems available and appropriate to accelerate the student's reading development; and

(h) May include the following services for the student: instruction from a reading specialist, dyslexia therapist, trained paraprofessional, or classroom teacher with support from an aide, extended instructional time in the school day or school year, or, for students in Grades 6 through 8, a literacy course, in addition to the required core English-Language Arts course, that provides the specific evidence-based literacy instruction identified in the student's reading plan.

SECTION 6. The parents of any students in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth grade who exhibits deficiencies in reading at any time during the school year shall be notified in writing within ten (10) business days after the identification of the reading deficiency, and the written notification shall be made available in the parent's home language, follow the template provided by the department, and include the following:

(a) That his or her child has been identified as having deficiencies in reading, and an individual reading plan will be developed by the teacher(s), interventionist, dyslexia therapist, principal, other pertinent school personnel and the parent or legal guardian;

(b) A description of the current services that are provided to the student;

(c) A description of the proposed interventions and supplemental instructional services or dyslexia therapy which are from scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading instruction and supports that will be provided to the child that are designed to remedy the identified area(s) of reading deficiency;

(d) Notification that the parent will be informed in writing of their child's progress towards becoming a skilled reader with each progress report; and

(e) Strategies for parents to use at home to help their child succeed in reading.

SECTION 7. (1) Any incoming student in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades identified with deficiencies in reading shall be provided with supplemental or intensive interventions dependent upon the severity of the deficit skills to address his or her specific deficiency. Intervention services shall include effective instructional strategies to accelerate student progress and be delivered by a reading teacher, reading specialist, dyslexia therapist or an interventionist who has received intensive training in remediation of reading difficulties and fidelity to the selected intervention curriculum. The district shall provide the following:

(a) Access to a reading teacher, reading specialist, dyslexia therapist, or interventionist who has received intensive training in remediation of reading difficulties; and

(b) Reading intervention services and supports from a vetted and approved list to address the identified area(s) of reading deficiency, including, but not limited to:

(i) Use of reading strategies and/or programs that are verified by scientifically and evidenced-based research and have proven results in accelerating student reading achievement within the same school year;

(ii) Prescribed targeted small group reading intervention or dyslexia therapy based on student needs, including explicit and systematic instruction with detailed explanations, extensive opportunities for guided practice, and opportunities for error correction and feedback; and

(iii) Scheduled progress monitoring throughout the time in which the student is in intervention to adjust instruction according to student needs.

(2) Summer school remediation programs or other forms of remediation appropriate to the academic needs of the students may be offered to students based on the results of the universal screener, diagnostic assessment, intervention progress monitoring data and ELA state summative assessment. Summer school remediation shall not be used to promote a student who failed the grade level prior to summer school.

(3) A Read-at-Home plan shall be provided in the family's home language by the district which includes strategies for parents to use at home to help their child succeed in reading.

SECTION 8. (1) (a) The school district shall conduct an annual review of individual reading plans during the first twenty (20) days of school for students who had a plan from the previous school year. The review shall assess the effectiveness of prior interventions, and any additional support and services needed to address the identified areas of reading deficiency. This may include supplemental, scientifically-researched and evidenced-based reading interventions provided before or after school by a teacher or tutor with specialized reading training.

(b) Current screener and diagnostic data shall be used to determine continued reading intervention support.

(2) Each local school board shall annually report in writing to the department and publish on its website by October 1 of each year, the following information on the prior school year:

(a) By grade, the number and percentage of all students in Grades 4 through 8 performing below grade level on local or statewide assessments;

(b) By grade, the number and percentage of students in Grades 4 through 8 who received supplemental or intensive reading intervention the previous year;

(c) By grade, the number and percentage of students in Grades 4 through 8 who had an individual reading plan but no longer qualify for them;

(d) By grade, the number and percentage of students retained in kindergarten through Grade 8; and

(e) By grade, the number and percentage of students retained in Grades 4 through 8 who have an individual reading plan.

SECTION 9. (1) The department shall provide a uniform format for school districts to report the required information no later than ninety (90) days prior to the annual due date.

(2) The department shall provide guidance and technical assistance to aid school districts in implementing Sections 1 through 11 of this act.

SECTION 10. Education preparation programs shall require all candidates graduating from educator preparation programs in the State of Mississippi in the areas of social studies, science, and English-Language Arts Education for Grades 4 through 8 shall be required to successfully complete AIM Pathways to Proficient Reading training or an equivalent reading training program approved by the State Department of Education before certification.

SECTION 11. (1) The State Board of Education shall have authority to enforce Sections 1 through 11 of this act.

(2) The Legislature shall allocate sufficient funding for the implementation of Sections 1 through 11 of this act.

SECTION 12. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.