2026 -- H 7909

========

LC005577

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND LITERACY AND DROPOUT

PREVENTION ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Shallcross Smith, Solomon, Alzate, Baginski,
Furtado, Voas, Serpa, Biah, and Dawson

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2026

     Referred To: House 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 council on elementary and secondary education’s reading

policy. This legislation requires that the following 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 that 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

LC005577 - Page 2 of 4

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 disability, sensory

disability or impairment, or lack of appropriate instruction. learning disability characterized by

difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary

depending on the orthography. These difficulties occur along a continuum of severity and persist

even with instruction that is effective for the individual’s peers. The causes of dyslexia are complex

and involve combinations of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences that interact

throughout development. Underlying difficulties with phonological and morphological processing

are common but not universal, and early oral language weaknesses often foreshadow literacy

challenges. Secondary consequences include reading comprehension problems and reduced reading

and writing experience that can impede growth in language, knowledge, written expression, and

overall academic achievement. Psychological well-being and employment opportunities also may

be affected. Although identification and targeted instruction are important at any age, language and

literacy support before and during the early years of education is particularly effective.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC005577

========

LC005577 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND LITERACY AND DROPOUT

PREVENTION ACT

***

     This act would redefine dyslexia to mean a specific learning disability characterized by

difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary

depending on the orthography.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC005577

========

LC005577 - Page 4 of 4