HF 629

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/02/2023 07:01pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring schools to use approved literacy curriculum;
requiring literacy specialists; requiring a report; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 120B.12, subdivisions 1, 4a, 5; 122A.06,
subdivision 4; 124D.98, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [120B.1119] TITLE; THE READ ACT.
new text end

new text begin Sections 120B.12 to 120B.123 may be cited as "The Read Act."
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 120B.12, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Literacy goal.

The legislature seeks to have every child reading at or
above grade level no later than the end of grade 3, including English learners, and that
teachers provide comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction consistent with
section 122A.06, subdivision 4 new text begin , by 2025 new text end .

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 120B.12, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:

Subd. 4a.

Local literacy plan.

(a) Consistent with this section, a school district must
adopt a local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level no later than
the end of grade 3, including English learners. The plan must be consistent with deleted text begin section deleted text end new text begin
sections 120B.123 and new text end 122A.06, subdivision 4, and include the following:

(1) a process to assess students' level of reading proficiency and data to support the
effectiveness of an assessment used to screen and identify a student's level of reading
proficiency;

(2) a process to notify and involve parents;

(3) a description of how schools in the district will determine the proper reading
intervention strategy for a student and the process for intensifying or modifying the reading
strategy in order to obtain measurable reading progress;

(4) evidence-based intervention methods for students who are not reading at or above
grade level and progress monitoring to provide information on the effectiveness of the
intervention; and

(5) identification of staff development needs, including a program to meet those needs.

(b) The district must post its literacy plan on the official school district website.

new text begin (c) By January 1, 2024, the commissioner of education must develop a model local
literacy plan that requires all reading instruction and teacher training in reading instruction
to be based on the science of reading. By July 1, 2024, a school district must either adopt
the model literacy plan or amend its local plan to require all reading instruction and teacher
training in reading instruction to be based on the science of reading.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 120B.12, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Commissioner.

The commissioner shall recommend to districts multiple
assessment tools to deleted text begin assist districts and teachers with identifying students under subdivision
2 deleted text end new text begin assess students' reading proficiency at the beginning and end of a school year new text end . The
commissioner shall also make available examples of nationally recognized and research-based
instructional methods or programs to districts to provide comprehensive, scientifically based
reading instruction and intervention under this section.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 5.

new text begin [120B.123] LITERACY CURRICULUM AND STAFFING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Literacy specialist" means a teacher licensed by the Professional Educator Licensing
and Standards Board with training and expertise in the science of reading.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Science of reading" means evidence-based reading instruction practices that address
the acquisition of language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and spelling,
fluency, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension that can be differentiated to meet
the needs of individual students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Curriculum. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must make available to school
districts and charter schools a list of approved literacy curricula that are based on the science
of reading. The commissioner must, upon request, provide support to school districts seeking
to implement an approved curriculum. A school district or charter school must use a literacy
curriculum that has been approved by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Literacy specialist. new text end

new text begin (a) The board of a school district or charter school must
employ or contract with a literacy specialist. A board may satisfy the requirements of this
subdivision by contracting with another school district, charter school, or cooperative unit
under section 123A.24, subdivision 2, for the services of a literacy specialist.
new text end

new text begin (b) A literacy specialist must collaborate with district and school administrators and
staff to support the implementation and integration of the science of reading into professional
development for teachers and other staff, effective instructional practices, data collection,
and feedback.
new text end

new text begin (c) The Department of Education must develop a model literacy specialist position
description and training requirements for literacy specialists. A school district or charter
school is not required to adopt the model position description and training requirements.
new text end

new text begin (d) A school district or charter school is eligible for aid under this subdivision. The initial
literacy specialist aid for a school district equals $....... per adjusted pupil unit at the district
for the current fiscal year or $........ The initial literacy specialist aid for a charter school
equals $....... per adjusted pupil unit at the charter school for the current fiscal year. Literacy
specialist aid must be used to meet the staffing requirements of this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2024-2025 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.06, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction.

(a) "Comprehensive,
scientifically based reading instruction" includes a program or collection of instructional
practices that is based on valid, replicable evidence showing that when these programs or
practices are used, students can be expected to achieve, at a minimum, satisfactory reading
progress. The program or collection of practices must include, at a minimum, effective deleted text begin ,
balanced deleted text end instruction in all five areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary development, and reading comprehension.

Comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction also includes and integrates
instructional strategies for continuously assessing, evaluating, and communicating the
student's reading progress and needs in order to design and implement ongoing interventions
so that students of all ages and proficiency levels can read and comprehend text, write, and
apply higher level thinking skills. For English learners developing literacy skills, districts
are encouraged to use strategies that teach reading and writing in the students' native language
and English at the same time.

(b) "Fluency" is the ability of students to read text with speed, accuracy, and proper
expression.

(c) "Phonemic awareness" is the ability of students to notice, think about, and manipulate
individual sounds in spoken syllables and words.

(d) "Phonics" is the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships
between written letters and spoken words. Phonics instruction is a way of teaching reading
that stresses learning how letters correspond to sounds and how to apply this knowledge in
reading and spelling.

(e) "Reading comprehension" is an active process that requires intentional thinking
during which meaning is constructed through interactions between text and reader.
Comprehension skills are taught explicitly by demonstrating, explaining, modeling, and
implementing specific cognitive strategies to help beginning readers derive meaning through
intentional, problem-solving thinking processes.

(f) "Vocabulary development" is the process of teaching vocabulary both directly and
indirectly, with repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items. Learning in rich
contexts, incidental learning, and use of computer technology enhance the acquiring of
vocabulary.

deleted text begin (g) Nothing in this subdivision limits the authority of a school district to select a school's
reading program or curriculum.
deleted text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 124D.98, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Uses. new text end

new text begin A school district must use its literacy incentive aid on curriculum,
instructional materials, and teacher training based on the science of reading, according to
its local literacy plan under section 120B.12.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024.
new text end

Sec. 8. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Literacy grants. new text end

new text begin (a) For grants to school districts and charter schools:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 100,000,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2024 new text end

new text begin (b) Of this amount, $30,000,000 must be used to train teachers in the science of reading.
The remaining amount must be used to pay for costs related to the requirements of Minnesota
Statutes, section 120B.123, or to purchase books and other instructional materials based on
the science of reading.
new text end

new text begin (c) A school district or charter school must submit a grant application to the commissioner
in the form and manner determined by the commissioner. The commissioner must report
to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education
the districts and charter schools that receive literacy grants, and the amounts of each grant,
by January 15, 2025, according to Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195.
new text end

new text begin (d) This appropriation is available until June 30, 2027.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Literacy specialist aid. new text end

new text begin (a) For aid to support schools in improving literacy
under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.123:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin ....... new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin ....... new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) The 2024 appropriation includes $....... for 2024.
new text end

new text begin (c) The 2025 appropriation includes $....... for 2024 and $....... for 2025.
new text end