HB 161 - Mandatory Retention Summary

• Removes the requirement for mandatory retention of third grade students based solely on performance on the English Language Arts assessment, allowing promotion with a "good cause exemption."

• Expands good cause exemptions to include: limited English proficient students with less than 2 years of English instruction, students with disabilities meeting specific criteria, students demonstrating acceptable performance on alternative assessments, students with portfolios showing Level 2 performance, and students previously retained multiple times.

• Requires intensive reading interventions for all retained students, including minimum 90 minutes daily of evidence-based reading instruction, participation in summer reading camps, and specialized teaching methods (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension).

• Mandates highly effective teachers (and reading-certified teachers beginning July 1, 2020) for retained students and establishes intensive reading acceleration courses for students retained multiple times.

• Allows midyear promotion of retained students who demonstrate they are reading at grade level, with portfolio reviews and alternative assessments available as tools for reevaluation.

• Takes effect July 1, 2018.