Each school district must implement a system of comprehensive reading instruction for students enrolled in prekindergarten through grade 12 and certain students who exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy.(1) Each school district must develop, and submit to the district school board for approval, a detailed reading instruction plan that outlines the components of the district’s comprehensive system of reading instruction. The plan must include all district schools, including charter schools, unless a charter school elects to submit a plan independently from the school district. A charter school plan must comply with all of the provisions of this section and must be approved by the charter school’s governing body and provided to the charter school’s sponsor.
(2)(a) Components of the reading instruction plan may include the following:1. Additional time per day of evidence-based intensive reading instruction for kindergarten through grade 12 students, which may be delivered during or outside of the regular school day.
2. Highly qualified reading coaches, who must be endorsed in reading, to specifically support classroom teachers in making instructional decisions based on progress monitoring data collected pursuant to s. 1008.25(9) and improve classroom teacher delivery of effective reading instruction, reading intervention, and reading in the content areas based on student need. 3. Professional learning to help instructional personnel and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance Program earn a certification, a credential, an endorsement, or an advanced degree in scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instruction.
4. Summer reading camps, using only classroom teachers or other district personnel who possess a micro-credential as specified in s. 1003.485 or are certified or endorsed in reading consistent with s. 1008.25(8)(b)3., for all students in kindergarten through grade 5 exhibiting a reading deficiency as determined by district and state assessments. 5. Incentives for instructional personnel and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance Program who possess a reading certification or endorsement or micro-credential as specified in s. 1003.485 and provide educational support to improve student literacy. 6. Tutoring in reading.
(b) Each school district must include in its reading instruction plan the planned school year expenditures for each component of such plan.
(3) Each school district shall submit its approved reading instruction plan, including approved reading instruction plans for each charter school in the district, to the Department of Education by August 1 of each fiscal year.
(4) The department shall evaluate the implementation of each school district reading instruction plan, including conducting site visits and collecting specific data on reading improvement results.
(5) By February 1 of each year, the department shall report its findings to the Legislature and the State Board of Education, including any recommendations for improving implementation of evidence-based intensive reading and intervention strategies in the classroom.
(6) For purposes of this section, the term “evidence-based” means demonstrating a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes as provided in 20 U.S.C. s. 8101(21)(A)(i).
