The bill amends the Minnesota Statutes to enhance literacy education through the Read Act, establishing a goal for every child to read at or above grade level starting in kindergarten. It emphasizes evidence-based reading instruction focusing on foundational skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency. School districts are required to provide training for teachers and instructional staff, including licensed library media specialists, to effectively support students, particularly multilingual learners and those receiving special education services. Additionally, districts must adopt a local literacy plan to assess and improve reading skills and report on their progress. Key provisions include screening students in grades K-3 for foundational reading skills and dyslexia characteristics, with specific guidelines for dual language immersion programs.

The bill mandates that educator training be conducted through the regional literacy network and led by certified local facilitators. The Department of Education will review waiver requests from district literacy leads for educators new to the state or using alternative reading instruction methods, provided they have completed necessary professional development. For the 2024-2025 and 2026-2027 school years, instructional hours can be reduced by 5-1/2 hours if districts agree to provide teachers with equivalent evidence-based training. New accessibility standards for professional development and digital curriculum resources are introduced, along with a process for ongoing review of literacy materials by June 1, 2027, ensuring that only those categorized as highly aligned with evidence-based practices qualify for state funding.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 120B.123