SB 346 Summary

• Mandates retention of third-grade students scoring at unsatisfactory level on reading portion of state criterion-referenced test unless exempt for good cause, beginning with students entering first grade in 2011-2012 school year.

• Prohibits social promotion and establishes good-cause exemptions including: limited English proficient students with less than two years in English language learner program, students with disabilities with appropriate IEPs, students demonstrating acceptable performance on alternative assessments, and students with documented prior retention who received intensive remediation for two or more years.

• Requires school districts to establish Reading Enhancement and Acceleration Development (READ) Initiative providing intensive reading instruction to at-risk kindergarten through third-grade students during regular school hours using state-approved curriculum.

• Establishes Intensive Acceleration Class for retained third-grade students with reduced teacher-student ratios, uninterrupted reading instruction, weekly progress monitoring, and scientific research-based programs with goal of improving reading level at least two grades in one school year.

• Requires school districts to implement midyear promotion policy allowing retained students to advance prior to November 1 upon demonstrating proficiency, conduct annual reviews of retained students' progress, and report retention and reading assessment data to State Board of Education.