This bill mandates the New Hampshire Department of Education to establish a comprehensive auditing process for professional educator preparation programs at the post-secondary level, specifically focusing on effective literacy instruction. The new section, RSA 189:58-a, requires the department to ensure that all educators complete coursework in evidence-based literacy strategies aligned with the science of reading, which encompasses phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary development. Additionally, it stipulates that clinical training for educators responsible for teaching reading must occur only in classrooms where cooperating teachers have verified training in these literacy instruction strategies.

The bill also authorizes the Department of Education to adopt rules under RSA 541-A to facilitate the auditing process and requires the publication of audit results on the department's website. Furthermore, it introduces a new subparagraph in RSA 21-N:9, II, which defines the auditing process for literacy instruction in professional preparation programs. While the bill does not provide funding or authorize new positions, it anticipates the need for a full-time position to support the auditing process, with estimated costs of $130,000 for FY 2027 and FY 2028, and $136,000 for FY 2029.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-N:9
As Amended by the House: 21-N:9
HB1828 text: 21-N:9