(a) On or before January 1, 2016, the Department of Education shall develop or approve reading assessments for use by local and regional boards of education for the school year commencing July 1, 2016, and each school year thereafter, to identify students in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, who are below proficiency in reading, provided any reading assessments developed or approved by the department include frequent screening and progress monitoring of students. Such reading assessments shall (1) measure phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, (2) provide opportunities for periodic formative assessment during the school year, (3) produce data that is useful for informing individual and classroom instruction, including the grouping of students based on such data and the selection of instructional activities based on data of individual student response patterns during such progress monitoring, (4) be compatible with best practices in reading instruction and research, and (5) assist in identifying, in whole or in part, students at risk for dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d, or other reading-related learning disabilities.

(b) Not later than February 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Education shall submit the reading assessments developed or approved under this section to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(P.A. 12-116, S. 5; P.A. 13-245, S. 11; P.A. 15-97, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 12-116 effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-245 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “January 1, 2013” with “January 1, 2014” and replacing “July 1, 2013” with “July 1, 2014”, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 15-97 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “January 1, 2014” with “January 1, 2016”, replacing “July 1, 2014” with “July 1, 2016” and adding Subdiv. (5) re assist in identifying students at risk for dyslexia or other reading-related learning disabilities, and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “February 1, 2013” with “February 1, 2016”, effective July 1, 2015.