SF3698 Summary - Read Act Amendment

• Expands the Read Act to require evidence-based reading instruction in all Minnesota schools by the 2026-2027 school year, focusing on foundational reading skills including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

• Mandates universal reading screening three times per year (beginning, midyear, and end) for all kindergarten through grade 3 students and requires districts to screen students in grades 4+ who do not demonstrate mastery of foundational reading skills.

• Requires teacher training on evidence-based structured literacy instruction with staggered deadlines: reading intervention teachers and K-3 classroom teachers by July 1, 2025; all other teachers providing reading instruction by July 1, 2027.

• Establishes a "Read Act program account" in the special revenue fund and appropriates $100 million for fiscal year 2025 to support implementation, including substitute teacher costs, regional literacy networks, CAREI partnerships, and curriculum reimbursement.

• Creates a working group to develop recommendations for literacy training, screeners, and curriculum adaptations for students who cannot fully access sound-based approaches such as phonics, with recommendations due January 15, 2025.