Brief ⁽¹⁾

HB 2899, as amended, would enact the "Kansas Pupils Reading Improvement Program" administered by the State Board of Education. Under the program, grants would be provided to schools to provide supplemental reading instruction to students in prekindergarten classes or in grades one through three who are experiencing difficulties in reading and to provide professional development opportunities for classroom teachers relating to reading improvement programs.

To be considered for a grant, a school would have to submit an application for review by the State Board of Education and establish a school reading committee, which would consult on the school's plan to improve the reading level of participating pupils. The school reading committee would consist of school district staff, including teachers, administrators, and a reading specialist, if feasible, and representatives of a community-based organization that provides reading support to children, a parents' association, and a college or university that works in areas related to reading or child development, if feasible.

In evaluating grant applications, the State Board would be required to give preferential consideration to schools with the following:

• The greatest need to provide supplemental reading instruction and professional development;



• Scores in the bottom 25 percent on the Kansas reading assessment;



• A high percentage of pupils who are identified as being at risk of reading failure for their grade level; and



• Other indicators, such as a high degree of coordination with other resources and activities available beyond the grant and experience in the use of supervised and trained volunteers, tutors, or other community-based programs to provide reading support during noninstructional hours.

The plan a school submits to the State Board of Education as part of its application for a grant would have to include a description of how the school would do the following:

• Conduct a needs assessment of pupil reading, including the number of pupils who need additional instructional time;



• Provide professional development opportunities, at the school site if possible, for new and experienced teachers;



• Provide content knowledge and other skills related to teaching reading, including reading instruction for limited English proficiency students and students with disabilities;



• Administer and interpret diagnostic and other reading assessments;



• Plan reading improvement instruction programs;



• Implement research-based reading programs selected by the school;



• Ensure that supplemental reading instruction would be provided to pupils in small groups or, if necessary, through individualized instruction;



• Select research-based reading programs that would have the greatest likelihood of success;



• Encourage parents and community-based organizations to work with schools to provide additional reading support to pupils; and



• Coordinate funds under the grant with other public and private resources.

A school that received a grant could use 50 percent of the money for training for school-based reading specialists and classroom teachers for purposes related to the reading improvement plan. Any money received by a school would have to supplement, not supplant, federal, state, or local funds for similar purposes.

Under the program, participating students would receive a diagnostic reading assessment and, if found to be reading below their appropriate grade level, would be provided a reading improvement program involving supplemental reading assistance in small groups or, if necessary, in an individualized setting. The reading improvement program would have to be consistent with the reading instruction provided in the regular academic program and would be developed by the pupil's classroom teacher, a reading specialist, if feasible, and other appropriate school staff, in consultation with the pupil's parent.

School districts that receive a reading improvement grant would be required to annually collect and evaluate data and submit a report to both the local board of education and to the State Board of Education that documents whether students in the program have improved their reading skills.

Background

HB 2899, as amended, was requested by Kansas Learning First Alliance, a coalition of education organizations that includes the Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas-National Education Association, and United School Administrators. The Alliance has as its goals improving professional development, improving student academic performance, and improving public engagement in public education. The Alliance has identified reading improvement as its top goal. Representatives of the Alliance, including its chair and two member groups, spoke in support of the bill.

The House Committee's amendment were strictly technical and intended to correct errors in the bill.

The fiscal note prepared by the Division of the Budget indicates that the State Department of Education would need to hire an Education Program Specialist to perform duties required by the bill. Salary and associated operating costs for the position would be $53,753.

No estimate is made of cost of the grants, which would be subject to appropriation.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html