MN HF651

School districts must assess reading skills of students in kindergarten through grade 3 at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year; identify non-proficient readers; and screen students not reading at grade level for dyslexia characteristics.

Districts must notify parents within two weeks of assessment if their student is not reading at grade level and provide information about services, progress, and home strategies in English and the student's native language.

Districts must provide intensive reading instruction and intervention to identified students with the goal of grade-level proficiency by end of current grade; if a student does not reach proficiency by end of grade 3, intervention continues until proficiency is achieved.

Commissioner of Education must adopt a list of approved scientific research-based reading curricula for kindergarten through grade 3, with authority to reduce literacy incentive aid for districts not using approved curricula beginning in 2022-2023 school year.

Districts must submit annual reports by September 1 including grade retention/promotion policies, student achievement data on reading and math assessments, grade retention rates by grade, and policy revisions; commissioner must compile and report this information to legislature and publish on department website.