AN
ACT Relating to training in reading instruction; adding a new section to
chapter 28A.415 RCW; creating new sections; providing an expiration date; and
declaring an emergency.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. The
legislature finds that the ability to read fluently, accurately, and with
comprehension is critical to success in school and in life. Research has found
that reading instruction in the early grades must consist of a comprehensive
program that builds upon the firm foundational skills of phonemic awareness,
decoding, and reading comprehension, to provide students with the skills
necessary to engage in rich literature activities, and further develop thinking
and application skills. Schools and school districts should review their
reading programs to verify they are using a comprehensive approach to teaching
reading.
The
role of professional development in supporting and sustaining a high-quality
teaching force is critical. The legislature finds that many primary grade
teachers would benefit from additional professional development instruction in
beginning reading skills and access to current information regarding
research-based, scientifically proven instructional strategies to assist
students in meeting the benchmarks established for the essential academic
learning requirements.
The
legislature also recognizes that when students are experiencing difficulties in
advancing their reading skills, the use of volunteers to provide individualized
tutoring and mentoring to those students will improve students' ability to
overcome those difficulties and increase their reading achievement.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:
Schools
interested in providing assistance to improve student learning in reading may
apply for the following opportunities to provide professional development in
beginning reading instructional strategies and related instructional materials
and to implement volunteer tutoring programs for students throughout their
school.
(1)
To the extent funds are appropriated in accordance with this section, elementary
schools interested in providing professional development and the purchase of
related instructional materials in accordance with (a) of this subsection for
certificated instructional staff that provide direct instructional services to
students in kindergarten, first, and second grade may apply for and receive
funding from the superintendent of public instruction. The application for
funding shall be limited to:
(a)
Verification that the intended professional development and related
instructional materials include primary emphasis on the following beginning
reading skills:
(i)
Phonemic awareness instruction;
(ii)
Explicit and systematic decoding instruction and diagnosis of a student's
ability to decode;
(iii)
Explicit spelling instruction;
(iv)
Explicit instruction in reading comprehension strategies; and
(v)
Research findings on the skills needed by beginning and proficient readers, and
how beginning reading skills are acquired;
(b)
Verification that grant funds expended in accordance with this section will not
be used for intervention or remediation programs; and
(c)
Verification that the professional development will be provided by a public or
private contractor that provides training in the methods required in this
section.
(2)
To the extent funds are appropriated in accordance with this section,
elementary schools interested in providing programs that use volunteer tutors
and mentors to assist struggling readers in kindergarten through sixth grade
may apply for grants from the superintendent of public instruction for programs
that are research-based and have proven effectiveness in improving student
performance. The programs must include the following elements:
(a)
Teacher training in research-based effective reading strategies and effective
use of classroom volunteers with struggling readers;
(b)
Training for tutor and mentor volunteers in research-based effective reading
strategies before the volunteers participate in the program;
(c)
An established goal for a minimum number of volunteer contact hours for
students to receive individual instruction from teachers, and tutor or mentor
volunteers during the summer, other intercessions for schools with year-round
schedules or other vacation periods, or during normal school hours; and
(d)
A plan to assess student reading performance before entering the program and
upon exit or at the end of the year as appropriate. The results must be
compiled and reported to the superintendent of public instruction. The
superintendent of public instruction shall provide an initial report to the
legislature by March 1, 1999, and a final report to the legislature by December
1999 on the effectiveness of the various programs.
(3)
For applications submitted before June 1, 1998, priority for funds in
accordance with this section shall be given to those schools in which less than
one-quarter of all students tested on the fourth grade assessment in reading
met the state-wide standard, or in schools where average performance on the
reading component of the state-wide standardized test required in RCW
28A.230.190 were in the bottom quartile for the previous three years. Priority
shall then be given to those schools in which less than one-third of all
students tested on the fourth grade assessment in reading met the state-wide
standard, or in schools where average performance on the reading component of
the state-wide standardized test required in RCW 28A.230.190 were in the bottom
third for the previous three years. Priority shall then be given to schools in
which one-half of all students tested on the fourth grade assessment in reading
met the state-wide standard, or in schools where average performance on the
reading component of the state-wide standardized test required in RCW
28A.230.190 were in the bottom half for the previous three years. Beginning
June 1, 1998, the superintendent of public instruction shall open the
application process to all schools without regard to performance on reading
tests. For applications received after June 1, 1998, the superintendent shall
provide funds to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis,
based on the date of application.
(4)
Funds provided in accordance with this section may be used to provide
additional professional development materials for interested school principals
and classroom volunteers providing assistance in kindergarten, first, and
second grades, interested in attending the professional development opportunity
identified in subsection (1) of this section.
(5)
Teachers participating in professional development opportunities in accordance
with subsection (1) of this section or in volunteer programs in accordance with
subsection (2) of this section will receive a stipend from the funds.
(6)
An elementary school receiving funds in accordance with subsection (1) of this
section shall certify and provide documentation to the superintendent of public
instruction that funds received were expended for professional development and
related materials in accordance with this section.
(7)
Schools that received funds under RCW 28A.300.330 are not eligible to apply for
funding in accordance with subsection (1) of this section.
(8)
Until final allocation of funds for purposes of section 2(1) of this act by the
superintendent of public instruction, or at the end of the 1998-99 school year,
whichever occurs first, the following definitions apply throughout this section
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a)
"Phonemic awareness instruction" means teaching awareness of letter
sounds, and segmenting and blending phonemes, syllables, and words in a
sequential progression.
(b)
"Explicit systematic decoding instruction" means direct, sequential
teaching of how to read words fluently and automatically by providing instruction
in letter-sound correspondences, letter combinations, multisyllabic words,
blending, and structural elements, and initially incorporates the use of
decodable text.
(c)
"Decodable text" means connected text containing a high percentage of
words that provide practice on the letter-sound correspondences and letter
combinations previously taught.
(d)
"Diagnosis of a student's ability to decode" means regularly
assessing the student's mastery of word recognition, fluency and automaticity,
and word analysis in order to plan future instructional activities.
(e)
"Explicit and systematic instruction in spelling" means teaching a
logical scope and sequence of word knowledge, spelling patterns, syllabication,
and frequently used words connected to the sequence used in reading and writing
instruction.
(f)
"Instruction in reading comprehension skills" means explicit,
systematic teaching of vocabulary development, text structure, context, syntax,
and syntactic patterns, including but not limited to, strategies for higher
order thinking skills such as interpretation, summarization, prediction,
clarification, and question generation.
(9)
By April 15, 1998, the superintendent of public instruction shall notify all
school districts that the funds under this section are available. By June 1,
1998, the superintendent shall make initial awards to applicants meeting the
requirements of subsections (1) and (3) of this section based on budget
estimates submitted with the applications. The superintendent shall allocate any
remaining funding for applications received after June 1, 1998, without regard
to the requirements in subsection (3) of this section. Elementary schools may
apply and become eligible for both funding opportunities in accordance with
this section. Funds provided under this section may be used for school
expenditures from June 1, 1998, through the end of the 1998-99 school year.
(10)
This section expires January 1, 2000.
*NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3.
This act may be known and cited as the
successful readers act.
*Sec. 3 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
*NEW
SECTION. Sec. 4.
If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June
30, 1998, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.
*Sec. 4 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 5. This
act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or
safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and takes effect immediately.
