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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
2
3 SENATE BILL 1778 By: Pugh
3
4
4
5
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
6
7 An Act relating to the Strong Readers Act; amending
7 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C, as last amended by
8 Section 2, Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp.
8 2025, Section 1210.508C), which relates to
9 assessments for reading skills; requiring a public
9 school district's strong readers plan to include
10 certain plan for transitional instruction; expanding
10 grade levels of students to be given intensive
11 intervention services under certain circumstances
11 beginning in certain school year; requiring certain
12 first-, second-, and third-grade students to
12 participate in a summer academy beginning in certain
13 school years; allowing promotion of student to the
13 next grade level under certain circumstances;
14 requiring certain first- and second-grade students to
14 be placed in certain transitional classroom or
15 provided certain transitional instruction; requiring
15 additional opportunity to meet certain grade-level
16 targets; requiring retention of certain third-grade
16 students; providing exception; requiring school
17 districts to report certain information; requiring
17 certain written notification to a parent or legal
18 guardian to include certain information; requiring
18 the Strong Readers Report to include certain
19 information; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section
19 1210.508E, as amended by Section 7, Chapter 411,
20 O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508E),
20 which relates to summer academies; requiring certain
21 notification to a parent or legal guardian to include
21 certain information; updating statutory language;
22 updating statutory references; providing an effective
22 date; and declaring an emergency.
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24
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Req. No. 2410 Page 1
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2
2
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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4 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C,
4
5 as last amended by Section 2, Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S.
5
6 Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508C), is amended to read as follows:
6
7 Section 1210.508C. A. To identify students who have
7
8 characteristics of dyslexia that lead to or cause reading
8
9 difficulty, each student enrolled in kindergarten and first, second,
9
10 and third grade in a public school in this state shall be screened
10
11 at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year for reading
11
12 skills including, but not limited to, phonological awareness,
12
13 decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. A screening
13
14 instrument approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
14
15 with the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability and
15
16 the Secretary of Education, shall be utilized for the purposes of
16
17 this section. In determining which screening instrument to approve,
17
18 the State Board of Education, the Commission for Educational Quality
18
19 and Accountability, and the Secretary of Education shall take into
19
20 consideration at a minimum the following factors:
20
21 1. The time required to conduct the screening instrument with
21
22 the intention of minimizing the impact on instructional time;
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Req. No. 2410 Page 2
1 2. The timeliness in reporting screening instrument results to
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2 teachers, administrators, and parents and legal guardians of
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3 students; and
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4 3. The integration of the screening instrument into reading
4
5 curriculum.
5
6 B. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the State Board of
6
7 Education shall approve no fewer than three screening instruments
7
8 for use at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year for
8
9 monitoring of progress and for measurement of reading skills as
9
10 required in subsection A of this section. The screening instruments
10
11 shall meet the following criteria:
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12 1. Assess for phonological awareness, decoding, fluency,
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13 vocabulary, and comprehension;
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14 2. Document the validity and reliability of each assessment;
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15 3. Can be used for identifying students who are at risk for
15
16 reading deficiency and progress monitoring throughout the school
16
17 year;
17
18 4. Can be used to assess students with disabilities and English
18
19 language learners; and
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20 5. Accompanied by a data management system that provides
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21 profiles of each student, class, grade level, and school building.
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22 The profiles shall identify each student's instructional point of
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23 need and reading achievement level. The State Board shall also
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 3
1 determine other comparable reading assessments for diagnostic
1
2 purposes to be used for students at risk of reading failure.
2
3 C. 1. Exemptions to the screening requirements of this section
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4 may be provided to students who have documented evidence that they
4
5 meet at least one of the following criteria as related to the
5
6 provision of classroom instruction:
6
7 a. the student participates in the Oklahoma Alternate
7
8 Assessment Program (OAAP) and is taught using
8
9 alternate methods,
9
10 b. the student's primary expressive or receptive
10
11 communication is sign language,
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12 c. the student's primary form of written or read text is
12
13 Braille, or
13
14 d. the student's primary expressive or receptive language
14
15 is not English, the student is identified as an
15
16 English learner using a state-approved identification
16
17 assessment, and the student has had less than one (1)
17
18 school year of instruction in an English-learner
18
19 program.
19
20 2. A public school that grants an exemption pursuant to
20
21 paragraph 1 of this subsection shall provide ongoing evidence of
21
22 student progression toward English language acquisition with the
22
23 same frequency as administration of screening assessments. Evidence
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24 may include, but not be limited to, student progression toward OAAP
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Req. No. 2410 Page 4
1 reading essential elements, proficiency in sign language and reading
1
2 comprehension, and proficiency in Braille and reading comprehension.
2
3 D. 1. Students who are administered a screening instrument
3
4 pursuant to subsection A of this section and are found not to be
4
5 meeting grade-level targets shall be provided a program of reading
5
6 instruction designed to enable students to acquire the appropriate
6
7 grade-level reading skills. The program of reading instruction
7
8 shall be based on scientific reading research and align with the
8
9 subject matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education. A
9
10 program of reading instruction shall include:
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11 a. sufficient additional in-school instructional time for
11
12 the acquisition of phonological awareness, decoding,
12
13 fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension,
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14 b. if necessary and if funding is available, tutorial
14
15 instruction after regular school hours, on Saturdays,
15
16 and during summer; however, such instruction may not
16
17 be counted toward the one-hundred-eighty-day one-
17
18 hundred-eighty-one-day or one-thousand-eighty-hour
18
19 one-thousand-eighty-six-hour school year required in
19
20 Section 1-109 of this title,
20
21 c. assessments identified for diagnostic purposes and
21
22 periodic monitoring to measure the acquisition of
22
23 reading skills including, but not limited to,
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24 phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
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Req. No. 2410 Page 5
1 and comprehension, as identified in the student's
1
2 program of reading instruction,
2
3 d. high-quality instructional materials grounded in
3
4 scientifically based reading research, and
4
5 e. a means of providing every family of a student in
5
6 prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first, second, and
6
7 third grade access to free online evidence-based
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8 literacy instruction resources to support the
8
9 student's literacy development at home.
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10 2. A student enrolled in kindergarten or first, second, or
10
11 third grade who exhibits a deficiency in reading at any time based
11
12 on the screening instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of
12
13 this section shall receive an individual reading intervention plan
13
14 no later than thirty (30) days after the identification of the
14
15 deficiency in reading. The reading intervention plan shall be
15
16 provided in addition to core reading instruction that is provided to
16
17 all students. The reading intervention plan shall:
17
18 a. describe the research-based reading intervention
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19 services the student will receive to remedy the
19
20 deficiency in reading,
20
21 b. provide explicit and systematic instruction in
21
22 phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
22
23 and comprehension, as applicable,
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 6
1 c. monitor the reading progress of each student's reading
1
2 skills throughout the school year and adjust
2
3 instruction according to the student's needs, and
3
4 d. continue until the student is determined to be meeting
4
5 grade-level targets in reading based on screening
5
6 instruments administered pursuant to subsection A of
6
7 this section or assessments identified for diagnostic
7
8 purposes and periodic monitoring pursuant to
8
9 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
9
10 3. The reading intervention plan for each student identified
10
11 with a deficiency in reading shall be developed by a Student Reading
11
12 Proficiency Team and shall include supplemental instructional
12
13 services and supports. Each team shall be composed of:
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14 a. the parent or legal guardian of the student,
14
15 b. the teacher assigned to the student who had
15
16 responsibility for reading instruction in that
16
17 academic year,
17
18 c. a teacher who is responsible for reading instruction
18
19 and is assigned to teach in the next grade level of
19
20 the student, and
20
21 d. a certified reading specialist or an individual with
21
22 advanced training or specialization in literacy
22
23 instruction, if one is available.
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 7
1 4. A school district shall notify the parent or legal guardian
1
2 of any student in kindergarten or first, second, or third grade who
2
3 exhibits a deficiency in reading at any time based on the screening
3
4 instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of this section.
4
5 The notification shall occur no later than thirty (30) days after
5
6 the identification of the deficiency in reading.
6
7 E. 1. Every school district shall adopt and implement a
7
8 district strong readers plan which has had input from school
8
9 administrators, teachers, and parents and legal guardians and if
9
10 possible a reading specialist, and which shall be submitted
10
11 electronically to and approved by the State Board of Education. The
11
12 plan shall be updated annually. School districts shall not be
12
13 required to electronically submit the annual updates to the Board if
13
14 the last plan submitted to the Board was approved and expenditures
14
15 for the program include only expenses relating to individual and
15
16 small group tutoring, purchase of and training in the use of
16
17 screening and assessment measures, summer school programs, and
17
18 Saturday school programs. If any expenditure for the program is
18
19 deleted or changed or any other type of expenditure for the program
19
20 is implemented, the school district shall be required to submit the
20
21 latest annual update to the Board for approval. The district strong
21
22 readers plan shall include a plan for each site which includes an
22
23 analysis of the data provided by the Oklahoma School Testing Program
23
24 and other reading assessments utilized as required in this section,
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Req. No. 2410 Page 8
1 and which outlines how each school site will comply with the
1
2 provisions of the Strong Readers Act.
2
3 2. The district strong readers plan shall include a plan for
3
4 how to provide transitional instruction to students identified
4
5 pursuant to subsection G of this section. The plan shall stipulate
5
6 whether the district will provide a stand-alone transitional
6
7 classroom or targeted transitional intervention instruction in pull-
7
8 out sessions.
8
9 3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
9
10 implementation and evaluation of the provisions of the Strong
10
11 Readers Act. The evaluation shall include, but not be limited to,
11
12 an analysis of the data required in subsection L M of this section.
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13 F. 1. Any first-grade, second-grade, or third-grade student
13
14 who demonstrates proficiency in reading through a grade-level
14
15 appropriate screening instrument approved pursuant to subsection B
15
16 of this section shall not require a program of reading instruction
16
17 or an individual reading intervention plan. After a student has
17
18 demonstrated proficiency through a screening instrument, the
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19 district shall provide notification to the parent or legal guardian
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20 of the student that he or she has satisfied the requirements of the
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21 Strong Readers Act. The district shall continue to monitor the
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22 student in the next successive grade level to ensure he or she
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23 maintains proficiency.
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24
Req. No. 2410 Page 9
1 2. G. 1. Beginning with the 2025-2026 2026-2027 school year,
1
2 if a first-, second-, or third-grade student is identified at any
2
3 point of the academic year as having a significant reading
3
4 deficiency, which shall be defined as not meeting grade-level
4
5 targets on a screening instrument administered pursuant to
5
6 subsection A of this section, the district shall provide the student
6
7 with intensive intervention services for the appropriate amount of
7
8 the instructional day consistent with the individual reading
8
9 intervention plan developed pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection D
9
10 of this section and as determined by the Student Reading Proficiency
10
11 Team. Intensive intervention services shall continue until the
11
12 student demonstrates proficiency at his or her grade level based on
12
13 a screening instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of this
13
14 section.
14
15 2. a. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, if a first-
15
16 grade student identified pursuant to paragraph 1 of
16
17 this subsection is not meeting grade-level targets
17
18 based on a screening instrument approved pursuant to
18
19 subsection B of this section or an assessment
19
20 identified pursuant to subparagraph c of paragraph 1
20
21 of subsection D of this section by the end of the
21
22 first grade, the student shall participate in a summer
22
23 academy as provided for in Section 1210.508E of this
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24 title.
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Req. No. 2410 Page 10
1 b. If a first-grade student who participates in a summer
1
2 academy pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph
2
3 meets grade-level targets based on a screening
3
4 instrument approved pursuant to subsection B of this
4
5 section or an assessment identified pursuant to
5
6 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of subsection D of this
6
7 section by the end of the summer academy, the student
7
8 may be promoted to the second grade.
8
9 c. If a first-grade student does not participate in a
9
10 summer academy as required by the provisions of this
10
11 paragraph or participates in a summer academy and does
11
12 not meet grade-level targets based on a screening
12
13 instrument approved pursuant to subsection B of this
13
14 section or an assessment identified pursuant to
14
15 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of subsection D of this
15
16 section by the end of the summer academy, the district
16
17 shall place the student in a stand-alone transitional
17
18 second-grade classroom or promote the student to
18
19 second grade while providing targeted transitional
19
20 intervention instruction in pull-out sessions.
20
21 3. a. Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, if a second-
21
22 grade student identified pursuant to paragraph 1 of
22
23 this subsection is not meeting grade-level targets
23
24 based on a screening instrument approved pursuant to
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Req. No. 2410 Page 11
1 subsection B of this section or an assessment
1
2 identified pursuant to subparagraph c of paragraph 1
2
3 of subsection D of this section by the end of the
3
4 second grade, the student shall participate in a
4
5 summer academy as provided for in Section 1210.508E of
5
6 this title.
6
7 b. If a second-grade student who participates in a summer
7
8 academy pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph
8
9 meets grade-level targets based on a screening
9
10 instrument approved pursuant to subsection B of this
10
11 section or an assessment identified pursuant to
11
12 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of subsection D of this
12
13 section by the end of the summer academy, the student
13
14 may be promoted to the third grade.
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15 c. If a second-grade student does not participate in a
15
16 summer academy as required by the provisions of this
16
17 paragraph or participates and does not meet grade-
17
18 level targets based on a screening instrument approved
18
19 pursuant to subsection B of this section or an
19
20 assessment identified pursuant to subparagraph c of
20
21 paragraph 1 of subsection D of this section by the end
21
22 of the summer academy, the district shall place the
22
23 student in a stand-alone transitional third-grade
23
24 classroom or promote the student to third grade while
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Req. No. 2410 Page 12
1 providing targeted transitional intervention
1
2 instruction in pull-out sessions.
2
3 4. a. Beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, if a third-
3
4 grade student identified pursuant to paragraph 1 of
4
5 this subsection is not meeting grade-level targets
5
6 based on a screening instrument approved pursuant to
6
7 subsection B of this section, an assessment identified
7
8 pursuant to subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of
8
9 subsection D of this section, or the scores for the
9
10 standards for reading foundations/processes and
10
11 vocabulary portions of the statewide third-grade
11
12 assessment administered pursuant to Section 1210.508
12
13 of this title by the end of the third grade, the
13
14 student shall participate in a summer academy as
14
15 provided for in Section 1210.508E of this title.
15
16 b. If a third-grade student who participates in a summer
16
17 academy pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph
17
18 meets grade-level targets based on a screening
18
19 instrument approved pursuant to subsection B of this
19
20 section or an assessment identified pursuant to
20
21 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of subsection D of this
21
22 section by the end of the summer academy, the student
22
23 may be promoted to the fourth grade.
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 13
1 c. If a third-grade student does not participate in a
1
2 summer academy as required by the provisions of this
2
3 paragraph or participates in a summer academy and does
3
4 not meet grade-level targets based on a screening
4
5 instrument approved pursuant to subsection B of this
5
6 section or an assessment identified pursuant to
6
7 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of subsection D of this
7
8 section by the end of the summer academy, the student
8
9 shall be retained in the third grade. Intensive
9
10 intervention services shall continue until the student
10
11 demonstrates proficiency at his or her grade level.
11
12 d. A third-grade student subject to retention as provided
12
13 for in subparagraph c of this paragraph shall be
13
14 provided an additional opportunity to meet grade-level
14
15 targets based on a screening instrument approved
15
16 pursuant to subsection B of this section or an
16
17 assessment identified pursuant to subparagraph c of
17
18 paragraph 1 of subsection D of this section. The
18
19 student shall be administered the screening instrument
19
20 or assessment no fewer than two (2) weeks prior to the
20
21 start of the next school year. If the student meets
21
22 grade-level targets, he or she shall be promoted to
22
23 the fourth grade, and if the student does not meet
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 14
1 grade-level targets, he or she shall be retained as
1
2 provided for in subparagraph c of this paragraph.
2
3 e. A third-grade student subject to retention as provided
3
4 for in subparagraph c of this paragraph who does not
4
5 meet grade-level targets as provided for in
5
6 subparagraph d of this paragraph may be promoted to
6
7 the fourth grade only with the written consent of the
7
8 student's parent or legal guardian.
8
9 G. H. Each school district shall annually report in an
9
10 electronic format to the State Department of Education, the Office
10
11 of Educational Quality and Accountability, and the Secretary of
11
12 Education the number of students in kindergarten through third grade
12
13 per grade level who exhibit grade-level reading proficiency, the
13
14 number of students per grade level who received intensive
14
15 intervention services pursuant to paragraph 2 1 of subsection F G of
15
16 this section, the number of students per grade level who attended a
16
17 summer academy as provided for in Section 1210.508E of this title,
17
18 the number of students per grade level who exhibited improved
18
19 reading proficiency after completion of intensive intervention
19
20 services, the number of students retained pursuant to subparagraphs
20
21 c and d of paragraph 4 of subsection G of this section, the number
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22 of students promoted pursuant to subparagraphs b and e of paragraph
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23 4 of subsection G of this section, and the number of students per
23
24 grade level who are still in need of intensive intervention
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Req. No. 2410 Page 15
1 services. The State Department of Education shall publicly report
1
2 the aggregate and district-specific numbers submitted pursuant to
2
3 this subsection on its website and shall provide electronic copies
3
4 of the report to the Governor, Secretary of Education, President Pro
4
5 Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
5
6 to the respective chairs of the committees with responsibility for
6
7 common education policy in each legislative chamber.
7
8 H. I. The parent or legal guardian of any student who is found
8
9 to have a reading deficiency and is not meeting grade-level reading
9
10 targets and has been provided a program of reading instruction as
10
11 provided for in paragraph 1 of subsection D of this section shall be
11
12 notified in writing of the following:
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13 1. That the student has been identified as having a substantial
13
14 deficiency in reading;
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15 2. A description of the current services that are provided to
15
16 the student pursuant to subsection D of this section;
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17 3. A description of the proposed intensive intervention
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18 services and supports that will be provided to the student that are
18
19 designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency as
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20 provided for in paragraph 2 1 of subsection F G of this section;
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21 4. A description of the requirements of subsection G of this
21
22 section including, but not limited to, participation in summer
22
23 academies, placement in a transitional classroom or the provision of
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 16
1 targeted transitional intervention instruction in pull-out sessions,
1
2 and potential retention of the student;
2
3 5. That a student who is promoted to the fourth grade pursuant
3
4 to subparagraph b and e of paragraph 4 of subsection G of this
4
5 section shall receive supplemental intensive intervention services;
5
6 5. 6. Strategies for parents and legal guardians to use in
6
7 helping their child succeed in reading proficiency; and
7
8 6. 7. The grade-level performance scores of the student.
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9 I. No J. Except as provided for in subparagraph e of paragraph
9
10 4 of subsection G of this section, no student may be assigned to a
10
11 grade level based solely on age or other factors that constitute
11
12 social promotion.
12
13 J. K. 1. Each school district board of education shall
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14 annually publish on the school website and report electronically to
14
15 the State Department of Education, the Office of Educational Quality
15
16 and Accountability, and the Secretary of Education by September 1 of
16
17 each year the following information on the prior school year:
17
18 a. the policies and procedures adopted by the school
18
19 district board of education to implement the
19
20 provisions of this section. The information submitted
20
21 shall include expenditures related to implementing the
21
22 provisions of this section, the number of staff
22
23 implementing the provisions of this section, and
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24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 17
1 average daily classroom time devoted to implementing
1
2 the provisions of this section,
2
3 b. by grade, the number and percentage of all students in
3
4 kindergarten through third grade who did not meet
4
5 grade-level targets based on a screening instrument
5
6 administered pursuant to subsection A of this section,
6
7 c. by grade, the number and percentage of all students in
7
8 kindergarten through third grade who have been
8
9 enrolled in the district for fewer than two (2) years,
9
10 d. by grade, the number and percentage of students in
10
11 kindergarten through third grade who demonstrated
11
12 grade-level proficiency based on a screening
12
13 instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of
13
14 this section, and
14
15 e. by grade, the number and percentage of students in
15
16 kindergarten through third grade who are on an
16
17 individualized education program (IEP) in accordance
17
18 with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
18
19 (IDEA) and who demonstrated grade-level proficiency
19
20 based on a screening instrument administered pursuant
20
21 to subsection A of this section or an alternative
21
22 assessment prescribed by the student's IEP.
22
23 2. The State Department of Education shall establish a uniform
23
24 format for school districts to report the information required in
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 18
1 this subsection. The format shall be developed with input from
1
2 school districts and shall be provided not later than ninety (90)
2
3 days prior to the annual due date. The Department shall annually
3
4 compile the information required, along with state-level summary
4
5 information, and electronically report the information to the
5
6 public, the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the President Pro
6
7 Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
7
8 Representatives.
8
9 K. L. The State Department of Education shall provide technical
9
10 assistance as needed to aid school districts in administering the
10
11 provisions of the Strong Readers Act.
11
12 L. M. On or before January 31 of each year, the State
12
13 Department of Education shall electronically submit to the Governor,
13
14 the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
14
15 Representatives, and members of the committees with responsibility
15
16 over common education in both houses of the Legislature a Strong
16
17 Readers Report which shall include, but is not limited to, trend
17
18 data detailing three (3) years of data, disaggregated by student
18
19 subgroups to include economically disadvantaged, major racial or
19
20 ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and English language
20
21 learners, as appropriate for the following:
21
22 1. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
22
23 kindergarten through third grade determined to be at risk for
23
24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 19
1 reading difficulties compared to the total number of students
1
2 enrolled in each grade;
2
3 2. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
3
4 kindergarten who continue to be at risk for reading difficulties as
4
5 determined by the year-end administration of the screening
5
6 instrument required in subsection A of this section;
6
7 3. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
7
8 kindergarten through third grade who have successfully completed
8
9 their program of reading instruction and are reading on grade level
9
10 as determined by the results of screening instruments administered
10
11 pursuant to subsection A of this section;
11
12 4. The statewide aggregate and district-specific number and
12
13 percentage of students that meet or do not meet grade-level targets
13
14 for reading based on screening instruments administered pursuant to
14
15 subsection A of this section;
15
16 5. The statewide aggregate and district-specific number and
16
17 percentage of students retained pursuant to subparagraphs c and d of
17
18 paragraph 4 of subsection G of this section and the number of
18
19 students promoted pursuant to subparagraph e of paragraph 4 of
19
20 subsection G of this section;
20
21 6. The amount of funds received by each district for
21
22 implementation of the Strong Readers Act;
22
23
23
24
24
Req. No. 2410 Page 20
1 6. 7. An evaluation and narrative interpretation of the report
1
2 data analyzing the impact of the Strong Readers Act on students'
2
3 ability to read at grade level;
3
4 7. 8. The type of reading instruction practices and methods
4
5 currently being used by school districts in the state;
5
6 8. 9. Socioeconomic information, access to reading resources
6
7 outside of school, and screening for and identification of learning
7
8 disabilities for students not reading at the appropriate grade level
8
9 in kindergarten and first through third grade;
9
10 9. 10. By grade level, the types of intensive intervention
10
11 efforts being conducted by school districts for students who are not
11
12 on an IEP and who are not reading at the appropriate grade level and
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13 for students who are on an IEP and who are not reading at the
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14 appropriate grade level; and
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15 10. 11. Any recommendations for improvements or amendments to
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16 the Strong Readers Act.
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17 The State Department of Education may contract with an
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18 independent entity for the reporting and analysis requirements of
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19 this subsection.
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20 M. N. Copies of the results of the screening instruments
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21 administered pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be made
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22 a part of the permanent record of each student.
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1 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508E,
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2 as amended by Section 7, Chapter 411, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
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3 2025, Section 1210.508E), is amended to read as follows:
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4 Section 1210.508E. A. If a teacher determines that a student
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5 in kindergarten or first through third grade is not reading at grade
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6 level by the end of the second quarter of the school year, the
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7 parent or legal guardian of the student shall be notified of:
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8 1. The reading level of the student;
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9 2. The program of reading instruction for the student as
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10 required pursuant to the Strong Readers Act; and
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11 3. The potential need for the student to participate in a
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12 summer academy or other program designed to assist the student in
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13 attaining grade-level reading skills; and
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14 4. The requirement for students to participate in summer
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15 academies pursuant to the provisions of subsection G of Section
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16 1210.508C of this title.
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17 B. A teacher who determines a student in kindergarten or first
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18 through third grade is not meeting grade-level targets for reading
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19 may, after consultation with the parent or legal guardian of the
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20 student, recommend that the student participate in and complete a
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21 summer academy or other program.
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22 C. Summer academy programs shall be designed to ensure that
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23 participating students successfully complete grade-level
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24 competencies in reading to enhance next-grade readiness. A summer
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1 academy reading program shall be a program that incorporates the
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2 content of a scientifically research-based professional development
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3 program administered by the Commission for Educational Quality and
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4 Accountability or a scientifically research-based reading program
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5 administered by the State Board of Education and is taught by
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6 teachers who have successfully completed professional development in
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7 the reading program or who are certified as reading specialists.
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8 D. School districts may approve an option for students who are
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9 unable to attend a summer academy. The optional program may
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10 include, but is not limited to, an approved private provider of
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11 instruction, approved computer- or Internet-based instruction, or an
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12 approved program of reading instruction monitored by the parent or
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13 legal guardian. School districts shall not be required to pay for
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14 the optional program but shall clearly communicate to the parent or
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15 legal guardian the expectations of the program and any costs that
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16 may be involved.
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17 E. Subject to the availability of funds, beginning one (1) year
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18 after implementation of this section, the requirements of subsection
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19 B of this section may be expanded to apply to students in fourth
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20 grade. Each year thereafter, the requirements may be expanded by
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21 one grade level until the requirements apply to third-grade students
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22 through eighth-grade students. Summer academy programs shall be
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23 designed for each grade level. Nothing in this section shall
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24 prevent the State Board of Education or a school district board of
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1 education from utilizing private, local, or federal funds to
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2 implement this section.
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3 F. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement
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4 the provisions of this section which shall include requirements for
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5 instructional time for summer academy programs, teacher
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6 qualifications, and evaluation of student achievement as a result of
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7 summer academy programs or other optional programs.
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8 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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9 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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10 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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11 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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12 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 2410 Page 24Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.