2015 -- H 5136

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LC000324

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Costa, DeSimone, McNamara, and Keable

     Date Introduced: January 15, 2015

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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Island Literacy and Dropout Prevention Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

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

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specifically address issues of dyslexia. Such activities must be founded on a scientific research

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

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6368). Reading instruction to improve the reading skills of all students in the early grades

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

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

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

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conducted:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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achievement of the literacy outcomes.

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

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grades Kindergarten through twelve (12).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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outcomes.

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

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

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commissioner of elementary and secondary education.

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

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administrative functions and for a broadly representative advisory council.

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

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

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

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

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

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of students with dyslexia.

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

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

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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.

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     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

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program for students at the elementary grade level.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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