The proposed bill amends the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act to strengthen reading instruction and intervention services for students in kindergarten through grade three. Key provisions include a requirement for school boards to develop policies for effective reading instruction, the administration of approved reading assessments three times a year, and the establishment of a performance threshold to identify students reading at or above grade level. A significant new provision mandates that students identified with a persistent reading deficiency must be retained in grade three starting in the 2027-28 school year unless they meet specific criteria for promotion. Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of school districts to provide supplemental reading intervention programs and intensive acceleration classes for retained students, emphasizing individualized reading improvement plans and parental notification.

The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to submit an annual electronic report to the Clerk of the Legislature by September 30, detailing the status of the professional learning system established under the act. It expresses the Legislature's intent to allocate two million dollars annually from the Education Future Fund for fiscal years 2024-25 through 2026-27 to support regional coaches and job-embedded training in evidence-based reading instruction. Furthermore, the bill modifies the State Department of Education's role in providing technical assistance to school boards from "may" to "shall," making it a requirement, and authorizes the department to adopt necessary rules and regulations for effective implementation. Lastly, it repeals several original sections of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska related to the previous framework of the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 79-2601, 79-2602, 79-2603, 79-2604, 79-2605, 79-2606, 79-2607