SB263 Summary - Alabama Literacy Act

• Establishes the Alabama Literacy Act to improve reading proficiency for kindergarten through third grade students using science-based reading instruction focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

• Creates a standing task force to recommend comprehensive reading programs, teacher development standards, and vetted reading assessment systems; task force meets twice yearly and includes teachers, specialists, principals, superintendents, and education board members.

• Allocates appropriated funds to local education agencies (66%), summer achievement programs (13%), regional literacy specialists (10%), teacher professional learning (6%), intervention curricula (3%), and state administration (2%).

• Requires schools to identify students with reading deficiencies by third grade, develop individual reading improvement plans, provide intensive interventions, and administer summer reading camps; students must demonstrate grade-level reading proficiency for fourth grade promotion beginning in 2021-2022 school year.

• Establishes mandatory retention for third graders who do not meet reading proficiency standards unless they qualify for good cause exemptions (students with disabilities, English language learners with less than two years instruction, or those with intensive intervention history).