This bill mandates the New Hampshire Department of Education to review professional educator preparation programs to ensure they provide effective literacy instruction. Specifically, it requires that all educators complete coursework in evidence-based strategies aligned with the science of reading, which encompasses phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency comprehension, and vocabulary development. Additionally, the bill stipulates that clinical preparation for educators teaching reading must occur in classrooms where teachers have verified training in literacy instruction strategies and utilize instructional materials that align with the science of reading.

To facilitate this, the bill introduces a new section, RSA 189:58-a, which establishes an auditing process for these preparation programs. The Department of Education is tasked with developing metrics to document the effectiveness of literacy instruction in these programs and to publish the results on its website. Furthermore, the bill includes a new subparagraph in RSA 21-N:9, II, which authorizes rulemaking for the auditing process related to literacy instruction in professional preparation programs. The act will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-N:9
HB1828 text: 21-N:9