2016 -- S 2337

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senators Lombardi, McCaffrey, Goldin, Archambault, and DiPalma

     Date Introduced: February 10, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-67-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-67 entitled "Rhode

Island Literacy and Dropout Prevention Act [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board

of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-67-2. The literacy program. – (a) Activities under this section shall include strategies

to improve the performance of students in mathematics, reading and writing, and to specifically

address issues of dyslexia. Such activities must be founded on a scientific research base, as

described in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, title I, part B, § 1208 (20 U.S.C. § 6368).

Reading instruction to improve the reading skills of all students in the early grades (specifically

kindergarten (K) through to and including grade five (5)) shall be consistent with the board of

regents council on elementary and secondary education's reading policy. This legislation requires

that the following five (5) six (6) activities, which comprise the literacy program, be conducted:

      (1) Screening for all children first entering school. All school districts that provide

elementary education are required to screen all children prior to, or upon, their first entry to

school to determine their level of educational readiness. All children are required to participate in

this screening. Screening shall address the child's educational development and shall be used to

determine whether he or she is educationally disadvantaged in terms of readiness for instruction

in the literacy skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, or mathematics.

      (2) Literacy focus in instruction in kindergarten through grade three (3) for all students.

All school districts that provide elementary education shall focus their kindergarten through grade

three (3) instruction for all students on literacy: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and

mathematics. All instruction shall be geared to helping students achieve the outcomes in literacy

which have been specified by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. School

districts are encouraged to consider reducing class size to no more than fifteen (15) students as

one means to achieving these outcomes. School districts will be held accountable for student

achievement of the literacy outcomes.

      (3) (i) Supplementary literacy instruction for educationally disadvantaged students in

grades Kindergarten through twelve (12).

      (ii) Supplementary literacy (reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics)

instruction may be required for educationally disadvantaged students. The commissioner of

elementary and secondary education shall stipulate for each school district the specific cutoff

points and the grades for required service each year. Services must be provided first to students

who are most educationally disadvantaged. Services shall focus on instruction in reading, writing,

speaking, listening, and mathematics. Program emphasis shall be as follows:

      (A) Intensive development in literacy. Kindergarten through grade three (3).

      (B) Early intervention in literacy. Grades four (4) through six (6).

      (C) Remediation in literacy. Grades seven (7) through eight (8).

      (D) Intensive remediation in literacy. Grades nine (9) through twelve (12).

      (iii) School districts will be held accountable for student achievement of the literacy

outcomes.

      (4) Dropout prevention programs. Programs shall address the academic, social, or

personal needs of potential dropouts. Projects shall be selected at the discretion of the

commissioner of elementary and secondary education.

      (5) State level program support. Activities shall provide for necessary planning and

administrative functions and for a broadly representative advisory council.

     (6) Dyslexia-targeted assistance. The literacy program shall also include assistance to

students by providing strategies that formally address dyslexia, when appropriate. In addition, the

department of elementary and secondary education shall offer to school districts, at no cost to the

school district or to participants in the training, professional development services to enhance the

skills of elementary teachers in the use of evidence-based strategies to improve the literacy skills

of students with dyslexia.

     (b) As used in this section, the term "dyslexia" means a specific and significant

impairment in the development of reading, including, but not limited to, phonemic awareness,

phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension that is not solely accounted for by intellectual

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disability, sensory disability or impairment, or lack of appropriate instruction.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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     This act would add dyslexia-targeted assistance as a required aspect of the literacy

program for students at the elementary grade level.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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