MS SB2886

Requires all public school students in Kindergarten and First Grade to be assessed with an approved reading screener beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.

Mandates that students identified with reading deficiencies receive intensive reading instruction and intervention documented in individual reading plans that include diagnosed skill deficiencies, growth goals, progress monitoring methods, instructional services, research-based programming covering phonemic awareness through comprehension, and parental involvement strategies.

Requires schools to provide continued intensive reading instruction until reading deficiency is remedied, with students showing persistent deficiency considered for exceptional criteria evaluation.

Requires written notification to parents or legal guardians immediately upon identification of reading deficiency and quarterly thereafter, including information about services provided, proposed supplemental instruction, consequences for non-remediation by end of Third Grade, parental support strategies, and available alternative assessments.

Establishes that students not remediating reading deficiency by the end of Third Grade will not be promoted to Fourth Grade unless a good cause exemption is met; effective July 1, 2017.