2019 -- H 5887

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LC001688

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - RHODE ISLAND CERTIFICATIONS STANDARDS BOARD

[SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Amore, Corvese, McEntee, and Morin

     Date Introduced: March 21, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-11.4 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Certification

Standards Board [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-11.4-6. Right to read act.

     (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Right to Read Act".

     (b) No later than 2025, the following shall have proficient knowledge and skills to teach

reading consistent with the best practices of scientific reading instruction:

     (1) A person who completes a state-approved educator preparation program; and

     (2) A person seeking teacher licensure by reciprocity or by adding an endorsement.

     (b) No later than 2025, a person who completes a state-approved educator preparation

program other than a teacher of elementary education program shall demonstrate an awareness of

the best practices of scientific reading instruction.

     (c) Beginning no later than the 2024-2025 school year, each state-approved educator

preparation program shall post on its website information describing its program to prepare

teachers to teach reading using scientific reading instruction aligned with, but not limited to, the

content measured by the stand-alone reading assessment adopted by the Rhode Island board of

education act.

     (d) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, a public school district and an open-

enrollment public charter school shall provide the following professional development in

scientific reading instruction:

     (1) For teachers licensed at the elementary level, professional development for one (1) of

the prescribed pathways to obtaining a proficiency credential in knowledge and practices in

scientific reading instruction; and

     (2) For teachers licensed at a level other than the elementary level, professional

development for one of the prescribed pathways to obtaining an awareness credential in

knowledge and practices in scientific reading instruction.

     (e) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, a public school that does not provide the

professional development under subsection (c)(1) of this section shall:

     (1) Be placed in probationary status; and

     (2) Provide notice to parents that the public school district has not met the requirements

of this section.

     (f) By the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year:

     (1) All teachers employed in a teaching position that requires an elementary education

(K-6) license or special education (K-12) license shall demonstrate proficiency in knowledge and

practices of scientific reading instruction; and

     (2) All other teachers shall demonstrate awareness in knowledge and practices of

scientific reading instruction.

     (g) All teachers who begin employment in the 2023-2024 school year and each school

year thereafter shall demonstrate proficiency or awareness in knowledge and practices in

scientific reading instruction as is applicable to their teaching position by completing the

prescribed proficiency or awareness in knowledge and practices of the scientific reading

instruction credential either:

     (1) As a condition of licensure; or

     (2) Within one year if the teacher is:

     (i) Already licensed; or

     (ii) Employed under a waiver from licensure.

     (h) A provider of a state-approved educator preparation program shall include in its

annual report to the department of education a description of the provider's program to prepare

educators to teach reading using scientific reading instruction.

     (i) A public school district that employs an educator in violation of this section or that

does not provide the professional development as required under this section shall be in violation

of the standards for accreditation of the Rhode Island board of education act and school districts

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and may be placed in probationary status by the department.

     (j) A public school district placed in probationary status under subsection (f)(1)(A) of this

section, shall send written notification to the parents of the students in the public school district of

the reason for being placed in probationary status.

     (k) A provider of a state-approved educator preparation program that does not comply

with the requirements of this section may be subject to penalties up to and including having the

provider's approval status revoked.

     (l) The department of elementary and secondary education is vested with the authority to

and shall enforce this section.

     (m) The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules to

implement this section.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on September 1, 2020.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - RHODE ISLAND CERTIFICATIONS STANDARDS BOARD

[SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

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     This Act would create the Right to Read Act to require licensed teachers at the

elementary level to be proficient in scientific reading instruction and further require all other

licensed teachers to have a cursory knowledge of scientific reading instruction.

     This act would take effect on September 1, 2020.

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