281—61.3(256) Intensive summer literacy program. The center hereby establishes program criteria and guidelines for voluntary implementation of the program by school districts.
	61.3(1) Program criteria: summer reading programs pursuant to Iowa Code section 279.68. Each district that chooses to implement a summer reading program as part of its implementation of Iowa Code section 279.68(2)“a”(6) is to comply with the terms of that section and 281—Chapter 62. A school district will employ appropriately licensed and supervised teachers and paraprofessionals, will monitor student progress, and is encouraged to use an evidence-based curriculum.
	61.3(2) Additional voluntary program criteria: intensive summer literacy program. Each district’s voluntary intensive summer literacy program is encouraged to meet, in addition to the terms of subrule 61.3(1), the following program criteria:
	a. 	Criterion 1. Each district is encouraged to adopt instructional practices or programs that have some evidence of success and that include explicit and systematic instruction in foundational reading skills based on student need, consistent with Iowa Code section 279.68.
	b. 	Criterion 2. Each district is to employ skilled, high-quality instructors. For the purposes of this paragraph, a district may hire or employ personnel directly, through an agreement with one or more other districts, through an agreement with one or more accredited nonpublic schools, through an agreement with one or more state agencies or governmental subdivisions, through an agreement with one or more private not-for-profit community agencies, or some combination thereof.
	c. 	Criterion 3. Each district is encouraged to allow sufficient time for meaningful reading instruction and student learning.
	d. 	Criterion 4. Each district is encouraged to provide instruction in small classes and small groups. To meet this criterion, a district is encouraged to employ the same instructional grouping formats described in the evidence-based intervention chosen. In the absence of specifications from the intervention chosen, a district is encouraged to ensure that it delivers whole-class instruction in class sizes of 15 or fewer students and that it delivers targeted intervention based on student need in small groups of 5 or fewer students.
	e. 	Criterion 5. Each district is encouraged to monitor and promote student attendance.
	f. 	Criterion 6. Each district is encouraged to evaluate student outcomes and the quality of program implementation, including implementation of these voluntary criteria.
	g. 	Criterion 7. Each program is to be under the leadership and supervision of at least one appropriately licensed teacher and at least one appropriately licensed administrator. The two roles may be filled by the same individual. Nonlicensed personnel are to be supervised by an appropriately licensed teacher. It is encouraged that either the teacher or the administrator holds a reading (K-8) endorsement or a reading specialist endorsement.
	h. 	Option to use private providers. A district may enter into an agreement with a private provider that uses evidence-based instructional strategies to provide summer literacy instruction under this chapter and 281—Chapter 62, at the election of a parent and in lieu of programming provided by the district. Any election under this paragraph is at the parent’s sole cost.
	61.3(3) Guidelines for implementation by school districts. The center is to:
	a. 	Publish guidelines to assist school districts in applying the program criteria contained in subrule 61.3(1) and the voluntary criteria contained in subrule 61.3(2) and in improving the performance of intensive summer literacy programs.
	b. 	Make such guidelines available on its website.
[ARC 7660C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]