MS SB2560

Requires all kindergarten and first-grade students in public schools to be screened with an approved reading screener beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, with intensive reading instruction and intervention provided immediately upon identification of reading deficiency.

Mandates that intensive reading instruction and intervention be documented in an individual reading plan for each student, including diagnosed deficiencies, growth goals, progress monitoring methods, instructional services, research-based reading programming covering phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, parental support strategies, and additional services.

Requires parents or legal guardians of kindergarten through third-grade students with reading deficiencies to be notified in writing immediately upon identification and with each quarterly progress report, including information about services provided, supplemental instructional supports, consequences for non-remediation, parental strategies, and alternative assessment options.

Establishes that students with continued reading deficiencies after intensive intervention should be considered for exceptional criteria evaluation and may be placed in transition classes.

Effective date: July 1, 2019.