2021 Minnesota Statutes

120B.12 READING PROFICIENTLY NO LATER THAN THE END OF GRADE 3.

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.

Subd. 2.Identification; report.

(a) Each school district must identify before the end of kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 all students who are not reading at grade level. Students identified as not reading at grade level by the end of kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 must be screened, in a locally determined manner, for characteristics of dyslexia.

(b) Students in grade 3 or higher who demonstrate a reading difficulty to a classroom teacher must be screened, in a locally determined manner, for characteristics of dyslexia, unless a different reason for the reading difficulty has been identified.

(c) Reading assessments in English, and in the predominant languages of district students where practicable, must identify and evaluate students' areas of academic need related to literacy. The district also must monitor the progress and provide reading instruction appropriate to the specific needs of English learners. The district must use a locally adopted, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive assessment and annually report summary assessment results to the commissioner by July 1.

(d) The district also must annually report to the commissioner by July 1 a summary of the district's efforts to screen and identify students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia using screening tools such as those recommended by the department's dyslexia specialist. With respect to students screened or identified under paragraph (a), the report must include:

(1) a summary of the district's efforts to screen for dyslexia;

(2) the number of students screened for that reporting year; and

(3) the number of students demonstrating characteristics of dyslexia for that year.

(e) A student identified under this subdivision must be provided with alternate instruction under section 125A.56, subdivision 1.

Subd. 2a.Parent notification and involvement.

Schools, at least annually, must give the parent of each student who is not reading at or above grade level timely information about:

(1) the student's reading proficiency as measured by a locally adopted assessment;

(2) reading-related services currently being provided to the student and the student's progress; and

(3) strategies for parents to use at home in helping their student succeed in becoming grade-level proficient in reading in English and in their native language.

A district may not use this section to deny a student's right to a special education evaluation.

Subd. 3.Intervention.

(a) For each student identified under subdivision 2, the district shall provide reading intervention to accelerate student growth and reach the goal of reading at or above grade level by the end of the current grade and school year. If a student does not read at or above grade level by the end of grade 3, the district must continue to provide reading intervention until the student reads at grade level. District intervention methods shall encourage family engagement and, where possible, collaboration with appropriate school and community programs. Intervention methods may include, but are not limited to, requiring attendance in summer school, intensified reading instruction that may require that the student be removed from the regular classroom for part of the school day, extended-day programs, or programs that strengthen students' cultural connections.

(b) A school district or charter school is strongly encouraged to provide a personal learning plan for a student who is unable to demonstrate grade-level proficiency, as measured by the statewide reading assessment in grade 3. The district or charter school must determine the format of the personal learning plan in collaboration with the student's educators and other appropriate professionals. The school must develop the learning plan in consultation with the student's parent or guardian. The personal learning plan must address knowledge gaps and skill deficiencies through strategies such as specific exercises and practices during and outside of the regular school day, periodic assessments, and reasonable timelines. The personal learning plan may include grade retention, if it is in the student's best interest. A school must maintain and regularly update and modify the personal learning plan until the student reads at grade level. This paragraph does not apply to a student under an individualized education program.

Subd. 4.Staff development.

Each district shall use the data under subdivision 2 to identify the staff development needs so that:

(1) elementary teachers are able to implement comprehensive, scientifically based reading and oral language instruction in the five reading areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension as defined in section 122A.06, subdivision 4, and other literacy-related areas including writing until the student achieves grade-level reading proficiency;

(2) elementary teachers have sufficient training to provide comprehensive, scientifically based reading and oral language instruction that meets students' developmental, linguistic, and literacy needs using the intervention methods or programs selected by the district for the identified students;

(3) licensed teachers employed by the district have regular opportunities to improve reading and writing instruction;

(4) licensed teachers recognize students' diverse needs in cross-cultural settings and are able to serve the oral language and linguistic needs of students who are English learners by maximizing strengths in their native languages in order to cultivate students' English language development, including oral academic language development, and build academic literacy; and

(5) licensed teachers are well trained in culturally responsive pedagogy that enables students to master content, develop skills to access content, and build relationships.

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 section 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.

Subd. 5.Commissioner.

The commissioner shall recommend to districts multiple assessment tools to assist districts and teachers with identifying students under subdivision 2. 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.

History:

1Sp2001 c 13 s 12; 2007 c 146 art 2 s 6; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 2 s 3; 2012 c 239 art 1 s 33; art 2 s 2; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 6; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 2 s 4; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 13; 1Sp2017 c 5 art 2 s 5-7; 2018 c 182 art 1 s 13; 1Sp2019 c 11 art 2 s 2; 1Sp2020 c 8 art 2 s 1