ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: ED DPA/SE 9-1-0-0

HB 2026: literacy endorsement; noncertificated teachers

NOW: early literacy; reading plans

Sponsor: Representative Udall, LD 25

House Engrossed

Overview

Instructs an A or B letter grade school district or charter school (school) to annually submit an updated K-3 reading program plan. Specifies promotion and retention procedures for a 3rd grade student who does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills.

History

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) administers the K-3 reading program to improve the reading proficiency of students in kindergarten programs and the 1st-3rd grades. Statute requires each school to submit an initial K-3 reading plan that includes baseline data on the reading proficiency of the school's students. Currently, C, D and F letter grade schools must annually submit an updated K-3 reading program plan to ADE by October 1st. A and B letter grade schools must submit an updated K-3 reading program plan in odd-numbered years (A.R.S. § 15-211).

The State Board of Education is required to prescribe competency requirements for the promotion of students from the 3rd grade. A 3rd grade student may not be promoted if the student obtains a score on the reading portion of the statewide assessment that does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills. However, statute establishes a mechanism for these students to be promoted if the student is an English learner or a limited English proficient student and has had fewer than two years of English language instruction (A.R.S. § 15-701).

Provisions

1.   ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteRequires each school, regardless of letter grade designation, to annually submit an updated K-3 reading program plan to ADE. (Sec. 1)

2.   States a 3rd grade student who obtains a score on the reading portion of the statewide assessment that does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills may not be retained more than once for obtaining a score that does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills. (Sec. 3)

3.   Allows a 3rd grade student who does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills to be promoted if the student is an English learner or limited English proficient student and has had fewer than three years, rather than two years, of English language instruction. (Sec. 3)

4.   Specifies the required literacy endorsement for certificated teachers must show the teacher is capable of effectively teaching phonological awareness, rather than phonemic awareness. (Sec. 2)

5.   Makes technical changes. (Sec. 2)

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9.                     HB 2026

10.  Initials CH Page 0 House Engrossed

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