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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
literacy endorsement; noncertificated teachers
(NOW: early literacy; reading plans)
Purpose
Requires a school district or charter school that is assigned an A or B letter grade (A or B school district or charter school) to submit the K-3 reading plan annually and modifies requirements for the third-grade promotion of a student who does not pass the reading portion on the statewide assessment.
Background
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) administers the K-3 Reading Program to improve reading proficiency for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through three in public schools. Each school district and charter school must submit to ADE a K-3 reading plan for improving reading proficiency for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through three. A K-3 reading plan must include baseline data on pupil reading proficiency and a budget for spending K-3 support level and K-3 reading support level weights. Each school district and charter school must annually submit to ADE an updated K-3 reading plan with data on program expenditures and results. An A or B school district or charter school is only required to submit the plan in odd-numbered years (A.R.S. § 15-211).
Competency requirements for promotion of pupils from third grade must require a pupil to be retained if the pupil does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills on the reading portion of the statewide assessment. A school district governing board or charter school governing body may promote pupils in outlined categories who do not demonstrate sufficient reading skills, including an English learner or limited English proficient student who has had fewer than two years of English language instruction (A.R.S. § 15-701).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Subjects A or B school districts and charter schools to the requirement to submit the K-3 reading plan annually, rather than only in odd-numbered years.
2. Prohibits a pupil from being retained in third grade more than once for not passing the reading portion of the statewide assessment.
3. Allows promotion from third grade for an English learner or limited English proficient student with fewer than three, rather than fewer than two, years of English instruction.
4. Replaces phonemic awareness with phonological awareness in the skills a teacher must be capable of effectively teaching to receive a literacy endorsement.
5. Makes technical and conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 2/15/22 DPA/SE 9-1-0-0
3rd Read 2/22/22 46-13-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 18, 2022
LB/slp