The Committee on Education and Public Works proposes the following Amendment No. 1 to H. 3613 (COUNCIL\WAB\3613C001.RT.WAB21):
Reference is to the bill as introduced.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding an appropriately numbered SECTION to read:
/ SECTION__. Section 59-33-520(A)(2) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(2) Beginning with the 2019-2020 School Year, to the extent funding is provided or that approved screening tools are available at no cost, A local school district shall use the universal screening process to screen each student in the district who is in kindergarten through first grade three times each school year and as needed in second grade as outlined in the district's universal screening procedures, and any other student as required by the department, for reading difficulties, including dyslexia, and the need for intervention described in Section 59-155-155(B)." /
Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, Section 59-155-155(B) and (C), are amended by deleting the subsections and inserting:
/(B) A district shall administer one or more instruments pursuant to the universal screening process as defined in Section 59-33-510(7) in the first thirty days of the school year and repeat, if and only if, the student demonstrates literacy and numeracy deficiencies at midyear and at the end of the school year to determine student progression in reading and numeracy in kindergarten through third grade. The department shall reimburse districts for the cost of the instrument or instruments selected upon receipt of assessment data used in the progress monitoring system. All school districts must use one of the literacy and numeracy screening instrument or instruments selected by the department, provided no literacy or numeracy screening instrument or instruments must be used by school districts to determine whether a student will be promoted to the next grade level. Classroom teachers also must be provided support by the department in administering instruments and in understanding the results so that the teacher can provide the appropriate evidence-based intervention.
(C) A school district may submit a waiver to the department to use an alternative early literacy and numeracy screening assessment. The board shall promulgate regulations describing the criteria for granting a waiver, and must include specific requirements that any screeners allowed by the waiver process be able to identify students with dyslexia or other reading disorders. The additional screener must meet minimum technical, administration, and content criteria as determined by the department. /
Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, Section 59-155-205(A)(2), by deleting the item and inserting:
/(2) The panel is composed of ten members appointed by the State Board of Education upon the recommendations of the State Superintendent of Education. The panel members must include individuals having the highest expertise on reading instruction, and include the following:
(a) at least three from public or private institutions of higher education nominated by the Commission on Higher Education. At least one of these members must be from a historically black college or university and at least one must be from a public institution of higher education;
(b) at least three who are responsible for their district reading plans or have exceptional reading expertise; and
(c) at least three members of the panel must be current classroom teachers with direct instructional responsibilities with students, with one teach er each from elementary, middle, and high school settings, and one of those teachers must be employed by a Title I school. /
Amend the bill further, SECTION 10, Section 59-155-180(C)(5), by deleting the item and inserting:
/ (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. Local school districts, working in collaboration with the department, shall offer courses at no charge to educators. 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. /