SB 1019 Summary: School Literacy

• Department of Education shall develop or approve reading assessments for kindergarten to grade five students in alliance districts by July 1, 2019, measuring phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension with frequent screening and progress monitoring.

• Establishes intensive reading instruction program for alliance districts including routine assessments, scientifically-based instruction, reading interventionists, external literacy coaches, supplemental instruction, and summer school reading programs to improve literacy and close achievement gaps.

• Creates Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success under Department of Education to provide coaching, professional development, technical assistance, and support to schools and boards of education implementing reading initiatives.

• Establishes reading readiness program providing tiered supports (universal, targeted, and intensive) in early literacy to alliance districts and commissioner's network schools based on assessment of individual school needs.

• Requires working group to study scientifically-based reading instruction in teacher preparation programs at Connecticut colleges and universities, with recommendations due January 1, 2021.