This bill proposes updates to section 15-211 of the Arizona Revised Statutes concerning the K-3 reading program. It removes the deadline of July 1, 2022, for school districts and charter schools to ensure that at least one teacher or literacy specialist has received dyslexia training. Additionally, it modifies the language regarding the submission of reading proficiency improvement plans, changing "shall" to "must" to emphasize the requirement. The updated plans must include baseline data on reading proficiency and a budget for K-3 support funding, with an annual submission deadline of October 1 for updated plans that detail expenditures and results.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new provision stating that the state board of education and the department of education cannot mandate changes to the evidence-based reading curricula adopted by a school district or charter school if at least seventy percent of their third-grade students demonstrated sufficient reading skills in the previous year's statewide assessment. This addition aims to provide schools with more autonomy in their reading programs, contingent on their students' performance.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-211