(a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2023, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall implement a reading curriculum model or program for grades prekindergarten to grade three, inclusive, that has been reviewed and recommended pursuant to section 10-14ii.
(b) On or before July 1, 2023, and biennially thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall notify the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, established pursuant to section 10-14gg, of which reading curriculum model or program that the board is implementing pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
(c) If a local or regional board of education demonstrates to the Commissioner of Education that such board has insufficient resources or funding to implement any of the reading curriculum model or programs reviewed and recommended pursuant to section 10-14ii, the commissioner shall grant such board an extension of time, if the commissioner determines that such board demonstrates continued efforts to commence implementation of a reviewed and recommended reading curriculum model or program in accordance with this section.
(d) The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the director of the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, shall, upon request of a local or regional board of education, grant a waiver from the provisions of subsection (a) of this section to such board to implement a reading curriculum model or program other than a model or program reviewed and recommended pursuant to section 10-14ii, if the commissioner determines that such other reading curriculum or model is (1) evidenced-based and scientifically-based, and (2) focused on competency in the following areas of reading: Oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, rapid automatic name or letter name fluency and reading comprehension. A request for a waiver under this subsection shall include (A) data collected from the reading assessments described in section 10-14t that has been disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, eligibility for free or reduced priced lunches, students whose primary language is not English and students with disabilities, and (B) a strategy to address remaining reading achievement gaps, as defined in section 10-14u.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 394.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 effective July 1, 2021.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 10 - Education and Culture
Chapter 163c - Education Evaluation and Remedial Assistance
Section 10-14aa. - Compliance verification. Annual report.
Section 10-14bb. - Approval of educator preparation programs contingent on compliance verification.
Section 10-14cc. - Verification of training completion for educator certificates.
Section 10-14dd. - Verification of qualifications of practicum hours supervisors.
Section 10-14ee. - Family history questionnaire re risk of reading proficiency challenges.
Section 10-14ff. - Reporting re compliance verification and reading assessments.
Section 10-14ii. - Review and approval of reading curriculum models or programs.
Section 10-14n. - Mastery examination.
Section 10-14r. - Regulations.
Section 10-14s. - Examination times.
Section 10-14w. - Incentive program for schools.
Section 10-14z. - Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities. Duties.