HF 563 (LSB 2348YH (3) 90)

HOUSE FILE 563

BY  SIEGRIST

A BILL FOR

An Act directing the department of education to convene a working group to study the effectiveness of efforts related to increasing the reading proficiency of students enrolled in school districts in kindergarten through grade three.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— STUDENT READING PROFICIENCY WORKING GROUP.
   1.  The department of education shall convene and provide administrative support to a working group that shall study the effectiveness of the implementation of section 279.68, relating to the successful progression for early readers, at the classroom level by the department and school districts. The working group’s study shall analyze all of the following:
   a.  School district annual data related to the reading proficiency of students, including whether intensive reading interventions are improving student performance on required assessments.
   b.  The frequency with which school districts are providing intensive reading interventions for students who are not reading proficiently.
   c.  The frequency with which school districts are assessing students, including students who are not reading proficiently. 
   d.  The amount of elementary classrooms within school districts that offer direct whole-class phonics instruction in addition to intensive reading interventions.
   e.  The employees that school districts use to provide intensive reading interventions, including the licenses, certificates, authorizations, or statements of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners that are held by such employees.
   f.  Activities students who do not receive intensive reading interventions engage in while other students in the student’s class receive intensive reading interventions.
   g.  The impact of the assessments administered pursuant to section 279.68 to students who do not require intensive reading interventions.
   h.  Data reported by school districts to the department of education pursuant to section 279.68, including how often such data is reported and how the department and school districts use such data.
   i.  Tools used by the department of education to report and track compliance with section 279.68, including the department’s internet site.
   2.  Any expenses incurred by a member of the working group shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the respective entity represented by the member.
   3.  The working group shall submit its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by December 31, 2023.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill directs the department of education (DE) to convene a working group to study the effectiveness of efforts related to increasing the reading proficiency of students enrolled in school districts in kindergarten through grade three. The bill provides that DE shall study the effectiveness of the implementation of the program created by Code section 279.68 (student progression —— intensive reading instruction) related to the successful progression of early readers. The bill establishes that the working group’s study shall analyze data reported under the program, the frequency with which interventions and assessments are provided under the program, the number of classrooms that offer direct whole-class phonics instruction in addition to intensive reading interventions, the licensure status of employees that school districts use to provide intensive reading interventions, activities students engage in while other students are receiving intensive reading interventions, the impact of the assessments administered under the program to students who do not require intensive reading interventions, and tools that are used by DE to report and track compliance under the program.
   The bill provides that any expenses incurred by a member of the working group shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the respective entity represented by the member.
   The bill requires the working group to submit its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by December 31, 2023.