Reference is to Printer's Date 4/19/14-S.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by deleting all before and after the enacting words and inserting:
/ Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that national research has documented that students unable to comprehend grade-level text struggle in all their courses; and
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that while reading typically has been assessed through standardized tests beginning in third grade, research has found that many struggling readers reach preschool or kindergarten with low oral language skills and limited print awareness. Once in school, they and other students fail to develop proficiency with reading and comprehension because of inadequate instruction and engaged practice; and
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that research has also shown that students who have difficulty comprehending texts struggle academically in their content area courses but seldom receive effective instructional intervention during middle and high school to improve their reading comprehension. These are the students least likely to graduate; and
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that one recent longitudinal study found that students reading below grade level at the end of third grade were six times more likely to leave school without a high school diploma; and
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that reading proficiency is a fundamental life skill vital for the educational and economic success of our citizens and State. In accordance with the ruling of the South Carolina Supreme Court that all students must be given "an opportunity to acquire the ability to read, write, and speak the English language", the South Carolina General Assembly finds that all students must be given high quality instruction and engage in ample time actually reading and writing in order to learn to read, comprehend, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively across all content areas; and
Whereas, to guarantee that all students exhibit these abilities and behaviors, the State of South Carolina must implement a comprehensive and strategic approach to reading proficiency for students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade that begins when each student enters the public school system and continues until he or she graduates. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 59-155-110.
There is established within the South Carolina Department
of Education the South Carolina Read to Succeed Office to
implement a comprehensive, systemic approach to reading which
will ensure that:
(1) classroom teachers
use evidence-based reading instruction in prekindergarten
through grade twelve, to include oral language, phonological
awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;
administer and interpret valid and reliable assessments; analyze
data to inform reading instruction; and provide evidence based
interventions as needed so that all students develop proficiency
with literacy skills and comprehension;
(2) classroom teachers
periodically reassess their curriculum and instruction to
determine if they are helping each student progress as a
proficient reader and make modifications as appropriate;
(3) each student who
cannot yet comprehend grade-level text is identified and served
as early as possible and at all stages of his or her educational
process;
(4) each student
receives targeted, effective comprehension support from the
classroom teacher and, if needed, supplemental support from a
reading interventionist so that ultimately all students can
comprehend grade-level texts;
(5) each student and
his parent or guardian is continuously informed in writing
of:
(a)
the student's reading proficiency needs, progress, and
ability to comprehend and write grade-level texts;
(b)
specific actions the classroom teacher and other reading
professionals have taken and will take to help the student
comprehend and write grade-level texts; and
(c)
specific actions that the parent or guardian can take to
help the student comprehend grade-level texts by providing
access to books, assuring time for the student to read
independently, reading to students, and talking with the student
about books;
(6) classroom teachers
receive preservice and in-service coursework which prepares them
to help all students comprehend grade-level texts;
(7) all students
develop reading and writing proficiency to prepare them to
graduate and to succeed in their career and postsecondary
education; and
(8) each school
district publishes annually a comprehensive research-based
reading plan that includes intervention options available to
students and funding for these services.
Section 59-155-120. As
used in this chapter:
(1) 'Board' means the
State Board of Education.
(2) 'Department' means
the State Department of Education.
(3) 'Discipline
specific literacy' means the ability to read, write, listen, and
speak across various disciplines and content areas including,
but not limited to, English language arts, science, mathematics,
social studies, physical education, health, the arts, and career
and technology education.
(4) 'Readiness
assessment' means assessments used to analyze students'
literacy, mathematical, physical, social, and
emotional-behavioral competencies in prekindergarten or
kindergarten.
(5) 'Reading
interventions' means individual or group assistance in the
classroom and supplemental support based on curricular and
instructional decisions made by classroom teachers who have
proven effectiveness in teaching reading and an add-on literacy
endorsement or reading/literacy coaches who meet the minimum
qualifications established in guidelines published by the
Department of Education.
(6) 'Reading portfolio'
means an organized collection of evidence and assessments
documenting that the student has demonstrated mastery of the
state standards in reading equal to at least a level above the
lowest achievement level on the state reading assessment.
(7) 'Reading
proficiency' means the ability of students to meet state reading
standards in kindergarten through grade twelve, demonstrated by
readiness, formative, or summative assessments.
(8) 'Reading
proficiency skills' means the ability to understand how written
language works at the word, sentence, paragraph, and text level
and mastery of the skills, strategies, and oral and written
language needed to comprehend grade-level texts.
(9) 'Research-based
formative assessment' means assessments used within the school
year to analyze strengths and weaknesses in reading
comprehension of students individually to adapt instruction to
meet student needs, make decisions about appropriate
intervention services, and inform placement and instructional
planning for the next grade level.
(10) 'Substantially
fails to demonstrate third-grade reading proficiency' means a
student who does not demonstrate reading proficiency at the end
of the third grade as indicated by scoring at the lowest
achievement level on the statewide summative reading assessment
that equates to Not Met 1 on the Palmetto Assessment of State
Standards (PASS).
(11) 'Summative
assessment' means state-approved assessments administered in
grades three through eight and any statewide assessment used in
grades nine through twelve to determine student mastery of
grade-level or content standards.
(12) 'Summer reading
camp' means an educational program offered in the summer by each
local school district or consortia of school districts for
students who are unable to comprehend grade-level texts and who
qualify for mandatory retention.
(13) 'Third-grade
reading proficiency' means the ability to read grade-level texts
by the end of a student's third grade year as demonstrated by
the results of state-approved assessments administered to third
grade students, or through other assessments as noted in this
chapter and adopted by the board.
(14) 'Writing
proficiency skills' means the ability to communicate
information, analysis, and persuasive points of view effectively
in writing.
Section 59-155-130. The
Read to Succeed Office must guide and support districts and
collaborate with university teacher training programs to
increase reading proficiency through the following functions,
including, but not limited to:
(1) providing
professional development to teachers, school principals, and
other administrative staff on reading and writing instruction
and reading assessment that informs instruction;
(2) providing
professional development to teachers, school principals, and
other administrative staff on reading and writing in content
areas;
(3) working
collaboratively with institutions of higher learning offering
courses in reading and writing and those institutions of higher
education offering accredited master's degrees in
reading-literacy to design coursework leading to a literacy
teacher add-on endorsement by the State;
(4) providing
professional development in reading and coaching for already
certified reading/literacy coaches and literacy teachers;
(5) developing
information and resources that school districts can use to
provide workshops for parents about how they can support their
children as readers and writers;
(6) assisting school
districts in the development and implementation of their
district reading proficiency plans for researched-based reading
instruction programs and assisting each of their schools to
develop its own implementation plan aligned with the district
and state plans;
(7) annually designing
content and questions for and review and approve the reading
proficiency plan of each district.
(8) monitor and report
to the State Board of Education the yearly success rate of
summer reading camps. Districts must provide statistical data
to include the:
(a)
number of students enrolled in camps;
(b)
number of students by grade level who successfully
complete the camps;
(c)
number of third-graders promoted to fourth grade;
(d)
number of third-graders retained; and
(e)
total expenditure made on operating the camps by source of
funds to include in-kind donations; and
(9) provide an annual
report to the General Assembly regarding the implementation of
the South Carolina Read to Succeed Act and the State and the
district's progress toward ensuring that at least ninety-five
percent of all students are reading at grade level.
Section 59-155-140.
(A)(1) The department, with approval
by the State Board of Education, shall develop, implement,
evaluate, and continuously refine a comprehensive state plan to
improve reading achievement in public schools. The State Reading
Proficiency Plan must be approved by the board by February 1,
2015, and must include, but not be limited to, sections
addressing the following components:
(a)
reading process;
(b)
professional development to increase teacher reading
expertise;
(c)
professional development to increase reading expertise and
literacy leadership of principals and assistant principals;
(d)
reading instruction;
(e)
reading assessment;
(f)
discipline specific literacy;
(g)
writing;
(h)
support for struggling readers;
(i)
early childhood interventions;
(j)
family support of literacy development;
(k)
district guidance and support for reading proficiency;
(l)
state guidance and support for reading proficiency;
(m)
accountability; and
(n)
urgency to improve reading proficiency.
(2)
The state plan must be based on reading research and
proven-effective practices, applied to the conditions prevailing
in reading-literacy education in this State, with special
emphasis on addressing instructional and institutional
deficiencies that can be remedied through faithful
implementation of research-based practices. The plan must
provide standards, format, and guidance for districts to use to
develop and annually update their plans, as well as to present
and explain the research-based rationale for state-level actions
to be taken. The plan must be updated annually and must
incorporate a state reading proficiency progress report.
(3)
The state plan must include specific details and
explanations for all substantial uses of state, local, and
federal funds promoting reading literacy and best judgment
estimates of the cost of research supported, thoroughly analyzed
proposals for initiation, expansion, or modification of major
funding programs addressing reading and writing. Analyses of
funding requirements must be prepared by the department for
incorporation into the plan.
(B)(1) Beginning in
Fiscal Year 2015-2016, each district must prepare a
comprehensive annual reading proficiency plan for
prekindergarten through twelfth grade consistent with the plan
by responding to questions and presenting specific information
and data in a format specified by the Read to Succeed Office.
Each district's PK-12 reading proficiency plan must present the
rationale and details of its blueprint for action and support at
the district, school, and classroom levels. Each district shall
develop a comprehensive plan for supporting the progress of
students as readers and writers, monitoring the impact of its
plan, and using data to make improvements and to inform its plan
for the subsequent years. The district plan piloted in school
districts in Fiscal Year 2013-2014 and revised based on the
input of districts shall be used as the initial district reading
plan framework in Fiscal Year 2014-2015 to provide interventions
for struggling readers and fully implemented in Fiscal Year
2015-2016 to align with the state plan.
(2)
Each district PK-12 reading proficiency plan shall:
(a)
document the reading and writing assessment and
instruction planned for all PK-12 students and the interventions
in prekindergarten through twelfth grade to be provided to all
struggling readers who are not able to comprehend grade-level
texts. Supplemental instruction shall be provided by teachers
who have a literacy teacher add-on endorsement and offered
during the school day and, as appropriate, before or after
school in book clubs, through a summer reading camp, or both;
(b)
include a system for helping parents understand how they
can support the student as a reader at home;
(c)
provide for the monitoring of reading achievement and
growth at the classroom, school, and district levels with
decisions about intervention based on all available data;
(d)
ensure that students are provided with wide selections of
texts over a wide range of genres and written on a wide range of
reading levels to match the reading levels of students;
(e)
provide teacher training in reading and writing
instruction; and
(f)
include strategically planned and developed partnerships
with county libraries, state and local arts organizations,
volunteers, social service organizations, and school media
specialists to promote reading.
(3)(a)
The Read to Succeed Office shall develop the format for
the plan and the deadline for districts to submit their plans to
the office for its approval. A school district that does not
submit a plan or whose plan is not approved shall not receive
any state funds for reading until it submits a plan that is
approved. All district reading plans must be reviewed and
approved by the Read to Succeed Office. The office shall provide
written comments to each district on its plan and to all
districts on common issues raised in prior or newly submitted
district reading plans.
(b)
The Read to Succeed Office shall monitor the district and
school plans and use their findings to inform the training and
support the office provides to districts and schools.
(c)
The department may direct a district that is persistently
unable to prepare an acceptable PK-12 reading proficiency plan
or to help all students comprehend grade-level texts to enter
into a multidistrict or contractual arrangement to develop an
effective intervention plan.
(C) Each school must
prepare an implementation plan aligned with the district reading
proficiency plan to enable the district to monitor and support
implementation at the school level. The school plan must be a
component of the school's strategic plan required by Section
59-18-1310. A school implementation plan shall be sufficiently
detailed to provide practical guidance for classroom teachers.
Proposed strategies for assessment, instruction, and other
activities specified in the school plan must be sufficient to
provide to classroom teachers and other instructional staff
helpful guidance that can be related to the critical reading and
writing needs of students in the school. In consultation with
the School Improvement Council, each school must include in its
implementation plan the training and support that will be
provided to parents as needed to maximize their promotion of
reading and writing by students at home and in the community.
Section 59-155-150. (A)
With the enactment of this chapter, the
State Superintendent of Education shall ensure that every
student entering publically funded prekindergarten and
kindergarten beginning in Fiscal Year 2014-2015 will be
administered a readiness assessment by the forty-fifth day of
the school year. Initially the assessment shall focus on early
language and literacy development. Beginning in Fiscal Year
2016-2017, the assessment must assess each child's early
language and literacy development, mathematical thinking,
physical well-being, and social-emotional development. The
assessment may include multiple assessments, all of which must
be approved by the board. The approved assessments of academic
readiness must be aligned with first and second grade standards
for English language arts and mathematics. The purpose of the
assessment is to provide teachers and parents or guardians with
information to address the readiness needs of each student,
especially by identifying language, cognitive, social,
emotional, health problems, and concerning appropriate
instruction for each child. The results of the assessment and
the developmental intervention strategies recommended to address
the child's identified needs must be provided, in writing, to
the parent or guardian. Reading instructional strategies and
developmental activities for children whose oral language skills
are assessed to be below the norm of their peers in the State
must be aligned with the district's reading proficiency plan for
addressing the readiness needs of each student. The results of
each assessment also must be reported to the Read to Succeed
Office.
(B) Any student
enrolled in prekindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, second
grade, or third grade who is substantially not demonstrating
proficiency in reading, based upon formal diagnostic assessments
or through teacher observations, must be provided intensive
in-class and supplemental reading intervention immediately upon
determination. The intensive interventions must be provided as
individualized and small group assistance based on the analysis
of assessment data. All sustained interventions must be aligned
with the district's reading proficiency plan. These
interventions must be at least thirty minutes in duration and be
in addition to ninety minutes of daily reading and writing
instruction provided to all students in kindergarten through
grade three. The district must continue to provide intensive
in-class intervention and at least thirty minutes of
supplemental intervention until the student can comprehend and
write text at grade-level independently. In addition, the parent
or guardian of the student must be notified, in writing, of the
child's inability to read grade-level texts, the interventions
to be provided, and the child's reading abilities at the end of
the planned interventions. The results of the initial
assessments and progress monitoring also must be provided to the
Read to Succeed Office.
(C) Programs that focus
on early childhood literacy development in the State are
required to promote:
(1)
parent training and support for parent involvement in
developing children's literacy; and
(2)
development of oral language, print awareness, and
emergent writing; and are encouraged to promote community
literacy including, but not limited to, primary health care
providers, faith-based organizations, county libraries, and
service organizations.
(D) Districts that fail
to provide reports on summer reading camps pursuant to Section
59-15-130(8) are ineligible to receive state funding for summer
reading camps for the following fiscal year; however, districts
must continue to operate summer reading camps as defined in this
act.
Section 59-155-160. (A)
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, a
student must be retained in the third grade if the student fails
to demonstrate reading proficiency at the end of the third grade
as indicated by scoring at the lowest achievement level on the
state summative reading assessment that equates to Not Met 1 on
the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS). A student
may be exempt for good cause from the mandatory retention but
shall continue to receive instructional support and services and
reading intervention appropriate for their age and reading
level. Good cause exemptions include students:
(1)
with limited English proficiency and less than two years
of instruction in English as a Second Language program;
(2)
with disabilities whose individual education plan
indicates the use of alternative assessments or alternative
reading interventions and students with disabilities whose
individual education plan or Section 504 plan reflects that the
student has received intensive remediation in reading for more
than two years but still does not substantially demonstrate
reading proficiency;
(3)
who demonstrate third-grade reading proficiency on an
alternative assessment approved by the board and which teachers
may administer following the administration of the state
assessment of reading;
(4)
who have received two years of reading intervention and
were previously retained;
(5)
who through a reading portfolio document, the student's
mastery of the state standards in reading equal to at least a
level above the lowest achievement level on the state reading
assessment. Such evidence must be an organized collection of
the student's mastery of the state English language arts
standards that are assessed by the Grade three state reading
assessment. The Read to Succeed Office shall develop the
assessment tool for the student portfolio; however the student
portfolio must meet the following minimum criteria:
(a)
be selected by the student's English/language arts teacher
or summer reading camp instructor;
(b)
be an accurate picture of the student's ability and only
include student work that has been independently produced in the
classroom;
(c)
include evidence that the benchmarks assessed by the Grade
three state reading assessment have been met. Evidence is to
include multiple choice items and passages that are
approximately sixty percent literary text and forty percent
information text, and that are between one hundred and seven
hundred words with an average of five hundred words. Such
evidence could include chapter or unit tests from the district
or school's adopted core reading curriculum that are aligned
with the state English language arts standards or
teacher-prepared assessments;
(d)
be an organized collection of evidence of the student's
mastery of the English/language arts state standards that are
assessed by the Grade three state reading assessment. For each
benchmark there must be at least three examples of mastery as
demonstrated by a grade of seventy percent or above; and
(e)
be signed by the teacher and the principal as an accurate
assessment of the required reading skills; and
(6)
who successfully participate in a summer reading camp at
the conclusion of the third grade year and demonstrate through
either a reading portfolio or through a norm-referenced,
alternative assessment, selected from a list of norm-referenced,
alternative assessments approved by the Read to Succeed Office
for use in the summer reading camps, that the student's mastery
of the state standards in reading is equal to at least a level
above the lowest level on the state reading assessment.
(B) The superintendent
of the local school district must determine whether a student in
the district may be exempt from the mandatory retention by
taking all of the following steps:
(1)
The teacher of a student eligible for exemption must
submit to the principal documentation on the proposed exemption
and evidence that promotion of the student is appropriate based
on the student's academic record. This evidence must be limited
to the student's individual education program, alternative
assessments, or student reading portfolio. The Read to Succeed
Office must provide districts with a standardized form to use in
the process.
(2)
The principal must review the documentation and determine
whether the student should be promoted. If the principal
determines the student should be promoted, the principal must
submit a written recommendation for promotion to the district
superintendent for final determination.
(3)
The district superintendent's acceptance or rejection of
the recommendation must be in writing and a copy must be
provided to the parent or guardian of the child.
(4) A parent or legal
guardian may appeal the decision to retain a student to the
district superintendent if there is a compelling reason why the
student should not be retained. A parent or legal guardian must
appeal, in writing, within two weeks after the notification of
retention. The letter must be addressed to the district
superintendent and specify the reasons why the student should
not be retained. The district superintendent shall render a
decision and provide copies to the parent or legal guardian and
the principal.
(C)(1) Students
eligible for retention under the provisions in Section
59-155-160(A) may enroll in a summer reading camp provided by
their school district or a summer reading camp consortium to
which their district belongs prior to being retained the
following school year. Summer reading camps must be at least
six weeks in duration with a minimum of four days of instruction
per week and four hours of instruction per day, or the
equivalent minimum hours of instruction in the summer. The
camps must be taught by compensated teachers who have at least
an add-on literacy endorsement or who have documented and
demonstrated substantial success in helping students comprehend
grade level texts. The Read to Succeed Office shall assist
districts that cannot find qualified teachers to work in the
summer camps. Districts may also choose to contract for the
services of qualified instructors or collaborate with one or
more districts to provide a summer reading camp. Schools and
school districts are encouraged to partner with county or school
libraries, institutions of higher learning, community
organizations, faith-based institutions, businesses, pediatric
and family practice medical personnel, and other groups to
provide volunteers, mentors, tutors, space, or other support to
assist with the provision of the summer reading camps. A parent
or guardian of a student who does not substantially demonstrate
proficiency in comprehending texts appropriate for his grade
level must make the final decision regarding the student's
participation in the summer reading camp.
(2)
A district may include in the summer reading camps
students who are not exhibiting reading proficiency at any grade
and do not meet the good cause exemption. Districts may charge
fees for these students to attend the summer reading camps based
on a sliding scale pursuant to Section 59-19-90, except where a
child is found to be reading below grade level in the first,
second, or third grade and does not meet the good cause
exemption.
(D) Retained students
must be provided intensive instructional services and support,
including a minimum of ninety minutes of daily reading and
writing instruction, supplemental text-based instruction, and
other strategies prescribed by the school district. These
strategies may include, but are not limited to, instruction
directly focused on improving the student's individual reading
proficiency skills through small group instruction, reduced
teacher-student ratios, more frequent student progress
monitoring, tutoring or mentoring, transition classes containing
students in multiple grade spans, and extended school day, week,
or year reading support. The school must report to the Read to
Succeed Office on the progress of students in the class at the
end of the school year and at other times as required by the
office based on the reading progression monitoring requirements
of these students.
(E) If the student is
not demonstrating third-grade reading proficiency by the end of
the second grading period of the third grade:
(1)(a)
his parent or guardian timely must be notified, in
writing, that the student is being considered for retention and
a conference with the parent or guardian must be held prior to a
determination regarding retention is made, and conferences must
be documented;
(b)
within two weeks following the parent teacher conference,
copies of the conference form must be provided to the principal,
parent or guardian, teacher and other school personnel who are
working with the child on literacy, and summary statements must
be sent to parents or legal guardians who do not attend the
conference;
(c)
following the parent/teacher retention conference, the
principal, classroom teacher, and other school personnel who are
working with the child on literacy must review the
recommendation for retention and provide suggestions for
supplemental instruction; and
(d)
recommendations and observations of the principal,
teacher, parent or legal guardian, and other school personnel
who are working with the child on literacy must be considered
when determining whether to retain the student.
(2)
The parent or guardian may designate another person as an
education advocate also to act on their behalf to receive
notification and to assume the responsibility of promoting the
reading success of the child. The parent or guardian of a
retained student must be offered supplemental tutoring for the
retained student in evidenced-based services outside the
instructional day.
(F) For students in
grades four and above who are substantially not demonstrating
reading proficiency, interventions shall be provided by reading
interventionists in the classroom and supplementally by teachers
with a literacy teacher add-on endorsement or reading/literacy
coaches. This supplemental support will be provided during the
school day and, as appropriate, before or after school as
documented in the district reading plan, and may include book
clubs or summer reading camps.
Section 59-155-170. (A)
To help students develop and apply their
reading and writing skills across the school day in all the
academic disciplines, including, but not limited to, English
language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts,
career and technology education, and physical and health
education, teachers of these content areas at all grade levels
must focus on helping students comprehend print and non-print
texts authentic to the content area. The Read to Succeed
Program is intended to institutionalize in the public schools a
comprehensive system to promote high achievement in the content
areas described in this chapter through extensive reading and
writing. Research-based practices must be employed to promote
comprehension skills through, but not limited to:
(1)
vocabulary;
(2)
connotation of words;
(3)
connotations of words in context with adjoining or prior
text;
(4)
concepts from prior text;
(5)
personal background knowledge;
(6)
ability to interpret meaning through sentence structure
features;
(7)
questioning;
(8)
visualization; and
(9)
discussion of text with peers.
(B) These practices
must be mastered by teachers through high quality training and
addressed through well-designed and effectively executed
assessment and instruction implemented with fidelity to
research-based instructional practices presented in the state,
district, and school reading plans. All teachers,
administrators, and support staff must be trained adequately in
reading comprehension in order to perform effectively their
roles enabling each student to become proficient in content area
reading and writing.
(C) During Fiscal Year
2014-2015, the Read to Succeed Office shall establish a set of
essential competencies that describe what certified teachers at
the early childhood, elementary, middle or secondary levels must
know and be able to do so that all students can comprehend
grade-level texts. These competencies, developed
collaboratively with the faculty of higher education
institutions and based on research and national standards, must
then be incorporated into the coursework required by Section
59-155-180. The Read to Succeed Office, in collaboration with
South Carolina Educational Television, shall provide
professional development courses to ensure that educators have
access to multiple avenues of receiving endorsements.
Section 59-155-180. (A)
As a student progresses through school,
reading comprehension in content areas such as science,
mathematics, social studies, English language arts, career and
technology education, and the arts is critical to the student's
academic success. Therefore, to improve the academic success of
all students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve, the State
shall strengthen its preservice and in-service teacher education
programs.
(B)(1) Beginning with
students entering a teacher education program in the fall
semester of the 2016-2017 school year, all pre-service teacher
education programs including MAT degree programs must require
all candidates seeking certification at the early childhood or
elementary level to complete a twelve credit hour sequence in
literacy that includes a school-based practicum and ensures that
candidates grasp the theory, research, and practices that
support and guide the teaching of reading. The six components
of the reading process that are comprehension, oral language,
phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary will
provide the focus for this sequence to ensure that all teacher
candidates are skilled in diagnosing a child's reading problems
and are capable of providing an effective intervention. All
teacher preparation programs must be approved for licensure by
the State Department of Education to ensure that all teacher
education candidates possess the knowledge and skills to assist
effectively all children in becoming proficient readers. The
General Assembly is not mandating an increase in the number of
credit hours required for teacher candidates, but is requiring
that pre-service teacher education programs prioritize their
missions and resources so all early and elementary education
teachers have the knowledge and skills to provide effective
instruction in reading and numeracy to all students.
(2)
Beginning with students entering a teacher education
program in the fall semester of the 2016-2017 school year, all
pre-service teacher education programs, including MAT degree
programs, must require all candidates seeking certification at
the middle or secondary level to complete a six credit hour
sequence in literacy that includes a course in the foundations
of literacy and a course in content-area reading. All middle
and secondary teacher preparation programs must be approved by
the department to ensure that all teacher candidates possess the
necessary knowledge and skills to assist effectively all
adolescents in becoming proficient readers. The General
Assembly is not mandating an increase in the number of semester
hours required for teacher candidates but rather is requiring
that pre-service teacher education programs prioritize their
mission and resources so all middle and secondary education
teachers have the knowledge and skills to provide effective
instruction in reading and numeracy to all students.
(C)(1) To ensure that
practicing professionals possess the knowledge and skills
necessary to assist all children and adolescents in becoming
proficient readers, multiple pathways are needed for developing
this capacity.
(2)
A reading/literacy coach shall be employed in each
elementary school. Reading coaches shall serve as job-embedded,
stable resources for professional development throughout schools
in order to generate improvement in reading and literacy
instruction and student achievement. Reading coaches shall
support and provide initial and ongoing professional development
to teachers based on an analysis of student assessment and the
provision of differentiated instruction and intensive
intervention. The reading coach shall:
(a)
model effective instructional strategies for teachers by
working weekly with students in whole, and small groups, or
individually;
(b)
facilitate study groups;
(c)
train teachers in data analysis and using data to
differentiate instruction;
(d)
coaching and mentoring colleagues;
(e)
work with teachers to ensure that research-based reading
programs are implemented with fidelity; and
(f)
work with all teachers (including content area and
elective areas) at the school they serve, and help prioritize
time for those teachers, activities, and roles that will have
the greatest impact on student achievement, namely coaching and
mentoring in the classrooms;
(g)
help lead and support reading leadership teams.
(3)
The reading coach must not be assigned a regular classroom
teaching assignment, must not perform administrative functions
that deter from the flow of improving reading instruction and
reading performance of students and must not devote a
significant portion of his or her time to administering or
coordinating assessments. No later than August 1, 2014, the
department must publish guidelines that define the minimum
qualifications for a reading coach. Beginning in Fiscal Year
2014-2015, reading/literacy coaches are required to earn the
add-on certification within six years, except as exempted in
items (4) and (5), by completing the necessary courses or
professional development as required by the department for the
add-on. During the six-year period, to increase the number of
qualified reading coaches, the Read to Succeed Office shall
identify and secure courses and professional development
opportunities to assist educators in becoming reading coaches
and in earning the literacy add-on endorsement. In addition,
the Read to Succeed Office will establish a process through
which a district may be permitted to use state appropriations
for reading coaches to obtain in-school services from
department-approved consultants or vendors, in the event that
the school is not successful in identifying and directly
employing a qualified candidate. Districts must provide to the
Read to Succeed Office information on the name and
qualifications of reading coaches funded by the state
appropriations.
(4)
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015-2016, early childhood and
elementary education certified classroom teachers, reading
interventionists, and those special education teachers who
provide learning disability and speech services to students who
need to substantially improve their low reading and writing
proficiency skills, are required to earn the literacy teacher
add-on endorsement within ten years of their most recent
certification by taking at least two courses or six credit hours
every five years, or the equivalent professional development
hours as determined by the South Carolina Read to Succeed
Office, consistent with existing recertification requirements.
Inservice hours earned through professional development for the
literacy teacher endorsement must be used for renewal of
teaching certificates in all subject areas. The courses and
professional development leading to the endorsement must be
approved by the State Board of Education and must include
foundations, assessment, content area reading and writing,
instructional strategies, and an embedded or stand-alone
practicum. Whenever possible these courses shall be offered at
a professional development rate which is lower than the
certified teacher rate. Early childhood and elementary
education certified classroom teachers, reading specialists, and
special education teachers who provide learning disability and
speech services to students who need to improve substantially
their reading and writing proficiency and who already possess
their add-on Reading Teacher certification can take a content
area reading course to obtain their Literacy Teacher add-on
endorsement. Individuals who possess a literacy teacher add-on
endorsement or who have earned a master's or doctorate degree in
reading are exempt from this requirement. Individuals who have
completed an intensive and prolonged professional development
program like Reading Recovery, Project Read, the South Carolina
Reading Initiative, or another similar program should submit
their transcripts the to the Office of Educator Licensure to
determine if they have completed the coursework required for the
literacy teacher add-on certificate.
(5)
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015-2016, middle and secondary
licensed classroom teachers are required to take at least one
course or three credit hours, or the equivalent professional
development hours as determined by the South Carolina Read to
Succeed Office, to improve reading instruction within five years
of their most recent certification. The courses and
professional development must be approved by the State Board of
Education and include courses and professional development
leading to the literacy teacher add-on endorsement. Coursework
and professional development in reading must include a course in
reading in the content areas. Whenever possible these courses
will be offered at a professional development rate which is
lower than the certified teacher rate. Individuals who possess
a literacy teacher add-on endorsement or who have earned a
master's or doctorate degree in reading are exempt from this
requirement. Individuals who have completed an intensive,
prolonged professional development program like Reading
Recovery, Project Read, the South Carolina Reading Initiative,
or another similar program should submit their transcripts the
to the Office of Educator Licensure to determine if they have
completed the coursework or professional development required
for the literacy teacher add-on certificate.
(6)
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015-2016, principals and
administrators who are responsible for reading instruction or
intervention and school psychologists in a school district or
school are required to take at least one course or three credit
hours within five years of their most recent certification, or
the equivalent professional development hours as determined by
the South Carolina Read to Succeed Office. The course or
professional development shall include information about reading
process, instruction, assessment, or content area literacy and
shall be approved by the Read to Succeed Office.
(7)
The Read to Succeed Office shall publish by August 1,
2014, the guidelines and procedures used in evaluating all
courses and professional development, including virtual courses
and professional development, leading to the literacy teacher
add-on endorsement. Annually by January first the Read to
Succeed Office shall publish the approved courses and approved
professional development leading to the literacy teacher add-on
endorsement.
Section 59-155-190. Local school districts are encouraged to create family-school-community partnerships that focus on increasing the volume of reading, in school and at home, during the year and at home and in the community over the summer. Schools and districts should partner with county libraries, community organizations, local arts organizations, faith-based institutions, pediatric and family practice medical personnel, businesses, and other groups to provide volunteers, mentors, or tutors to assist with the provision of instructional supports, services, and books that enhance reading development and proficiency. A district shall include specific actions taken to accomplish the requirements of this section in its reading proficiency plan.
Section 59-155-200. The Read to Succeed Office and each school district must plan for and act decisively to engage the families of students as full participating partners in promoting the reading and writing habits and skills development of their children. With support from the Read to Succeed Office, districts and individual schools shall provide families with information about how children progress as readers and writers and how they can support this progress. This family support must include providing time for their child to read, as well as reading to the child. To ensure that all families have access to a considerable number and diverse range of books appealing to their children, schools should develop plans for enhancing home libraries and for accessing books from county libraries and school libraries and to inform families about their child's ability to comprehend grade-level texts and how to interpret information about reading that is sent home. The districts and schools shall help families learn about reading and writing through open houses, South Carolina Educational Television, video and audio tapes, websites, and school-family events and collaborations that help link the home and school of the student. The information should enable family members to understand the reading and writing skills required for graduation and essential for success in a career. Each institution of higher learning may operate a year-round program similar to a summer reading camp to assist students not reading at grade level.
Section 59-155-210. The board and department shall translate the statutory requirements for reading and writing specified in this chapter into standards, practices, and procedures for school districts, boards, and their employees and for other organizations as appropriate. In this effort, they shall solicit the advice of education stakeholders who have a deep understanding of reading, as well as school boards, administrators, and others who play key roles in facilitating support for and implementation of effective reading instruction."
SECTION 2. Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 59-156-110.
There is created the South Carolina Child Early Reading
Development and Education Program which is a full day, four-year
old kindergarten program for at-risk children which must be made
available to qualified children in all public school districts
within the State. The program must focus on:
(1) a comprehensive,
systemic approach to reading that follows the State Reading
Proficiency Plan and the district's comprehensive annual reading
proficiency plan, both adopted pursuant to Chapter 155, Title
59;
(2) successfully
completing the readiness assessment administered pursuant to
Section 59-155-150;
(3) the developmental
and learning support that children must have in order to be
ready for school;
(4) incorporating
parenting education, including educating the parents as to
methods that may assist the child pursuant to Section
59-155-110, 59-155-130, and 59-155-140; and
(5) identifying
community and civic organizations that can support early
literacy efforts.
Section 59-156-120.
(A)(1) The South Carolina Child Early
Reading Development and Education Program first must be made
available to eligible children from the following eight trial
districts in Abbeville County School District et al. vs. South
Carolina: Allendale, Dillon 2, Florence 4, Hampton 2, Jasper,
Lee, Marion 7, and Orangeburg 3.
(2)
With any funds remaining after funding the eight trial
districts, the program must be expanded to the remaining
plaintiff school districts in Abbeville County School District
et al. vs. South Carolina and then expanded to eligible children
residing in school districts with a poverty index of ninety
percent or greater. Priority must be given to implementing the
program first in those of the plaintiff districts which
participated in the pilot program during the 2006-2007 school
year, then in the plaintiff districts having proportionally the
largest population of underserved at-risk four-year-old
children.
(3)
With any funds remaining after funding the school
districts delineated in items (1) and (2), the program must be
expanded statewide. The General Assembly, in the annual general
appropriations bill, shall set forth the priority schedule, the
funding, and the manner in which the program is expanded.
(B) Unexpended funds
from the prior fiscal year for this program shall be carried
forward and shall remain in the program. In rare instances,
students with documented kindergarten readiness barriers,
especially reading barriers, may be permitted to enroll for a
second year, or at age five, at the discretion of the Department
of Education for students being served by a public provider or
at the discretion of the Office of South Carolina First Steps to
School Readiness for students being served by a private
provider.
Section 59-156-130. (A)
Each child residing in the program's
district, who has attained the age of four years on or before
September first of the school year and meets the at-risk
criteria, is eligible for enrollment in the South Carolina Child
Early Reading Development and Education Program for one
year.
(B)(1) The parent of
each eligible child may enroll the child in one of the following
programs:
(a)
a school-year four-year-old kindergarten program delivered
by an approved public provider; or
(b)
a school-year four-year-old kindergarten program delivered
by an approved private provider.
(2)
The parent enrolling a child must complete and submit an
application to the approved provider of choice. The application
must be submitted on forms and must be accompanied by a copy of
the child's birth certificate, immunization documentation, and
documentation of the student's eligibility as evidenced by
family income documentation showing an annual family income of
one hundred eighty-five percent or less of the federal poverty
guidelines as promulgated annually by the United States
Department of Health and Human Services or a statement of
Medicaid eligibility.
(3)
In submitting an application for enrollment, the parent
agrees to comply with provider attendance policies during the
school year. The attendance policy must state that the program
consists of six and one-half hours of instructional time daily
and operates for a period of not less than one hundred eighty
days a year. Pursuant to program guidelines, noncompliance with
attendance policies may result in removal from the program.
(C)(1) No parent is
required to pay tuition or fees solely for the purpose of
enrolling in or attending the program established under this
chapter. Nothing in this chapter prohibits charging fees for
childcare that may be provided outside the times of the
instructional day provided in these programs.
(2)
If by October first of the school year at least
seventy-five percent of the total number of children eligible
for the Child Early Reading Development and Education Program in
a district or county are projected to be enrolled in that
program, Head Start, or ABC Child Care Program as determined by
the Department of Education and the Office of First Steps, Child
Early Reading Development and Education Program providers may
then enroll pay-lunch children who score at or below the
twenty-fifth national percentile on two of the three DIAL-3
subscales and may receive reimbursement for these children if
funds are available.
Section 59-156-140. (A)
Public school providers participating in the
South Carolina Child Early Reading Development and Education
Program must submit an application to the Department of
Education. Private providers participating in the South
Carolina Child Early Reading Development and Education Program
must submit an application to the Office of First Steps. The
application must be submitted on the forms prescribed, contain
assurances that the provider meets all program criteria set
forth in this section, and will comply with all reporting and
assessment requirements.
(B) Providers
shall:
(1)
comply with all federal and state laws and constitutional
provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of
disability, race, creed, color, gender, national origin,
religion, ancestry, or need for special education services;
(2)
comply with all state and local health and safety laws and
codes;
(3)
comply with all state laws that apply regarding criminal
background checks for employees and exclude from employment any
individual not permitted by state law to work with children;
(4)
be accountable for meeting the educational needs of the
child and report at least quarterly to the parent or guardian on
his progress;
(5)
comply with all program, reporting, and assessment
criteria required of providers;
(6)
maintain individual student records for each child
enrolled in the program, including, but not limited to,
assessment data, health data, records of teacher observations,
and records of parent or guardian and teacher conferences;
(7)
designate whether extended day services will be offered to
the parents and guardians of children participating in the
program;
(8)
be approved, registered, or licensed by the Department of
Social Services; and
(9)
comply with all state and federal laws and requirements
specific to program providers.
(C) Providers may limit
student enrollment based upon space available, but, if
enrollment exceeds available space, providers shall enroll
children with first priority given to children with the lowest
scores on an approved pre-kindergarten readiness assessment.
Private providers must not be required to expand their programs
to accommodate all children desiring enrollment, but are
encouraged to keep a waiting list for students they are unable
to serve because of space limitations.
Section 59-156-150. The
Department of Education, the Read to Succeed Office, and the
Office of First Steps to School Readiness shall:
(1) develop the
provider application form;
(2) develop the child
enrollment application form;
(3) develop a list of
approved research-based preschool curricula for use in the
program based upon the South Carolina Content Standards, and
provide training and technical assistance to support its
effective use in approved classrooms serving children;
(4) develop a list of
approved pre-kindergarten readiness assessments to be used in
conjunction with the program, and provide assessments and
technical assistance to support assessment administration in
approved classrooms serving children;
(5) establish criteria
for awarding new classroom equipping grants;
(6) establish criteria
for the parenting education program providers must offer;
(7) establish a list of
early childhood related fields that may be used in meeting the
lead teacher qualifications;
(8) develop a list of
data collection needs to be used in implementation and
evaluation of the program;
(9) identify teacher
preparation program options and assist lead teachers in meeting
teacher program requirements;
(10) establish criteria
for granting student retention waivers; and
(11) establish criteria
for granting classroom size requirements waivers.
Section 59-156-160. (A)
Providers of the South Carolina Child Early
Reading Development and Education Program shall offer a complete
educational program in accordance with age-appropriate
instructional practice and a research-based preschool curriculum
aligned with school success. The program must focus on:
(1)
a comprehensive, systemic approach to reading that follows
the State Reading Proficiency Plan and the district's
comprehensive annual reading proficiency plan, both adopted
pursuant to Chapter 155, Title 59;
(2)
successfully completing the readiness assessment
administered pursuant to Section 59-155-150;
(3)
the developmental and learning support that children must
have in order to be ready for school;
(4)
incorporating parenting education, including educating the
parents as to methods that may assist the child pursuant to
Section 59-155-110, 59-155-130, and 59-55-140, including
strengthening parent involvement in the learning process with an
emphasis on interactive literacy; and
(5)
identifying community and civic organizations that can
support early literacy efforts.
(B) Providers shall
offer high-quality, center-based programs, including, but not
limited to, the following:
(1)
employ a lead teacher with a two-year degree in early
childhood education or related field or be granted a waiver of
this requirement from the Department of Education for public
schools or from the Office of First Steps to School Readiness
for private centers;
(2)
employ an education assistant with preservice or
in-service training in early childhood education;
(3)
maintain classrooms with at least ten four-year-old
children, but no more than twenty four-year-old children, with
an adult to child ratio of 1:10. With classrooms having a
minimum of ten children, the 1:10 ratio must be a lead teacher
to child ratio. Waivers of the minimum class size requirement
may be granted by the South Carolina Department of Education for
public providers or by the Office of First Steps to School
Readiness for private providers on a case-by-case basis;
(4)
offer a full day, center-based program with six and
one-half hours of instruction daily for one hundred eighty
school days;
(5)
provide an approved research-based preschool curriculum
that focuses on critical child development skills, especially
early literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional
development;
(6)
engage parents' participation in their child's educational
experience that shall include a minimum of two documented
conferences for each year; and
(7)
adhere to professional development requirements outlined
in this chapter.
Section 59-156-170. (A)
Every classroom providing services to
four-year-old children established pursuant to this chapter must
have a qualified lead teacher and an education assistant as
needed to maintain an adult to child ratio of 1:10.
(B)(1) In classrooms in
private centers, the lead teacher must have at least a two-year
degree in early childhood education or a related field and who
is enrolled and is demonstrating progress toward the completion
of a teacher educational program within four years.
(2)
In classrooms in public schools, the lead teacher must
meet state requirements pertaining to certification.
(C) All education
assistants in private centers and public schools must have the
minimum of a high school diploma or the equivalent, and at least
two years of experience working with children under five years
old. The assistant must have completed the Early Childhood
Development Credential (ECD) 101 or enroll and complete this
course within twelve months of hire. Providers may request
waivers to the ECD 101 requirement for those assistants who have
demonstrated sufficient experience in teaching children five
years old and younger. The providers must request this waiver
in writing to First Steps or the Department of Education, as
applicable, and provide appropriate documentation as to the
qualifications of the teaching assistant.
Section 59-156-180. The
General Assembly recognizes there is a strong relationship
between the skills and preparation of pre-kindergarten
instructors and the educational outcomes of students. To
improve these educational outcomes, participating providers
shall require all personnel providing instruction and classroom
support to students participating in the South Carolina Child
Early Reading Development and Education Program to participate
annually in a minimum of fifteen hours of professional
development, including, teaching children from poverty.
Professional development should provide instruction in
strategies and techniques to address the age-appropriate
progress of pre-kindergarten students in developing emergent
literacy skills, including, but not limited to, oral
communication, knowledge of print and letters, phonemic and
phonological awareness, and vocabulary and comprehension
development.
Section 59-156-190.
Both public and private providers are eligible for
transportation funds for the transportation of children to and
from school. Nothing in this section prohibits providers from
contracting with another entity to provide transportation
services provided the entities adhere to the requirements of
Section 56-5-195. Providers must not be responsible for
transporting students attending programs outside the district
lines. Parents choosing program providers located outside of
their resident district shall be responsible for transportation.
When transporting four-year-old child development students,
providers shall make every effort to transport them with
students of similar ages attending the same school. Of the
amount appropriated for the program, not more than one hundred
eighty-five dollars for each student may be retained by the
Department of Education for the purposes of transporting
four-year-old students. This amount annually must be increased
by the same projected rate of inflation as determined by the
Division of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and
Control Board for the Education Finance Act.
Section 59-156-200. For
all private providers approved to offer services pursuant to
this chapter, the Office of First Steps to School Readiness
shall:
(1) serve as the fiscal
agent;
(2) verify student
enrollment eligibility;
(3) recruit, review,
and approve eligible providers. In considering approval of
providers, consideration must be given to the provider's
availability of permanent space for program service and whether
temporary classroom space is necessary to provide services to
any children;
(4) coordinate
oversight, monitoring, technical assistance, coordination, and
training for classroom providers;
(5) serve as a clearing
house for information and best practices related to
four-year-old kindergarten programs;
(6) receive, review,
and approve new classroom grant applications and make
recommendations for approval based on approved criteria;
(7) coordinate
activities and promote collaboration with other private and
public providers in developing and supporting four-year-old
kindergarten programs;
(8) maintain a database
of the children enrolled in the program; and
(9) promulgate
guidelines as necessary for the implementation of the program.
Section 59-156-210. For
all public school providers approved to offer services pursuant
to this chapter, the Department of Education shall:
(1) serve as the fiscal
agent;
(2) verify student
enrollment eligibility;
(3) recruit, review,
and approve eligible providers. In considering approval of
providers, consideration must be given to the provider's
availability of permanent space for program service and whether
temporary classroom space is necessary to provide services to
any children;
(4) coordinate
oversight, monitoring, technical assistance, coordination, and
training for classroom providers;
(5) serve as a clearing
house for information and best practices related to
four-year-old kindergarten programs;
(6) receive, review,
and approve new classroom grant applications and make
recommendations for approval based on approved criteria;
(7) coordinate
activities and promote collaboration with other private and
public providers in developing and supporting four-year-old
kindergarten programs;
(8) maintain a database
of the children enrolled in the program; and
(9) promulgate
guidelines as necessary for the implementation of the program.
Section 59-156-220. (A)
Eligible students enrolling with private
providers during the school year must be funded on a pro-rata
basis determined by the length of their enrollment.
(B) Private providers
transporting eligible children to and from school must be
eligible for a reimbursement of up to five hundred fifty dollars
for each eligible child transported, funded on a pro-rata basis
determined by the length of the child's enrollment. Providers
who are reimbursed are required to retain records as required by
their fiscal agent.
(C) Providers enrolling
between one and six eligible children must be eligible to
receive up to one thousand dollars for each child in materials
and equipment grant funding, with providers enrolling seven or
more such children eligible for grants not to exceed ten
thousand dollars.
(D) Providers receiving
equipment grants are expected to participate in the program and
provide high-quality, center-based programs for a minimum of
three years. A provider who fails to participate for three
years shall return a portion of the equipment allocation at a
level determined by the Department of Education and the Office
of First Steps to School Readiness. Funding to providers is
contingent upon receipt of data as requested by the Department
of Education and the Office of First Steps.
Section 59-156-230. The
Department of Social Services shall:
(1) maintain a list of
all approved public and private providers; and
(2) provide the
Department of Education and the Office of First Steps
information necessary to carry out the requirements of this
chapter.
Section 59-156-240. The Office of First Steps to School Readiness is responsible for the collection and maintenance of data on the state-funded programs provided through private providers."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and is subject to the availability of state funding. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
/ TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA READ TO SUCCEED ACT"; BY ADDING CHAPTER 155 TO TITLE 59 SO AS TO CREATE THE SOUTH CAROLINA READ TO SUCCEED OFFICE AND A READING PROFICIENCY PANEL WITHIN THE OFFICE, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES THAT OFFER CERTAIN RELATED GRADUATE EDUCATION, AND EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS, AMONG OTHER THINGS. /