A3851

An Act concerning early literacy and supplementing chapters 6, 26, and 35 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. As used in this act, “evidence-based” means demonstrating a rationale based on high-quality research findings for positive evaluation that the activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of the activity, strategy, or intervention.

2. a. The Commissioner of Education shall, within one year of the effective date of this act, develop a scientific, evidence-based early literacy plan for students in preschool through grade three. The plan shall include evidence-based early reading instruction that follows a scope and sequence that is direct, systematic, responsive, and that develops early literacy through emphasis on:

(1) phonics, including decoding and encoding and instruction in writing;

(2) phonemic awareness and phonological awareness;

(3) fluency, including oral language development;

(4) vocabulary; and

(5) comprehension, including building background knowledge.

The plan shall not include instructional methods based upon the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as “MSV.”

b. The early literacy plan shall include recommendations to the State Board of Education on any necessary revisions or additions to the professional development requirement established by the State board for public school teaching staff members in order to ensure adequate preparation to provide evidence-based early reading instruction.

c. The early literacy plan shall be submitted to the State Board of Education for its review and consideration in revising applicable student learning standards. The plan shall be posted to the Department of Education’s website.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4 of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-46) or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, upon receipt and consideration of the early literacy plan developed by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to section 2 of this act, the State Board of Education shall revise its New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts to ensure the use of evidence-based early reading instruction as the primary pedagogy used by the public schools to develop early student literacy.

4. a. Beginning in the second full school year beginning after the effective date of this act, each school district shall provide evidence-based early reading instruction to students enrolled in preschool through grade three consistent with the recommendations of the early literacy plan developed by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to section 2 of this act and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts revised by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 3 of this act.

b. Beginning in the second full school year beginning after the effective date of this act, a school district shall be prohibited from using instructional methods or content that promote the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as "MSV.”

5. a. Beginning in the second full school year beginning after the effective date of this act, all candidates for teaching certification who have completed an educator preparation program at a commissioner-approved educator preparation program provider shall have satisfactorily earned a minimum of six academic credits through courses or training on evidence-based early reading instruction.

b. All commissioner-approved educator preparation program providers shall review and update their educator preparation programs to implement the requirements of this section and submit the revisions to the Department of Education for approval.

The program provider shall provide to the department, in addition to any other materials the department may require, copies of any syllabi developed for a course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction. Syllabi shall not require approval from the department.

c. Beginning in the second full school year beginning after the effective date of this act, any person seeking certification through the alternate route shall, within one year of being employed, satisfactorily complete a course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction.

d. As used in this section, “course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction” means a course or training that is direct, systematic, responsive, and which develops early literacy through emphasis on:

(1) phonics, including decoding and encoding and instruction in writing;

(2) phonemic awareness and phonological awareness;

(3) fluency, including oral language development;

(4) vocabulary; and

(5) comprehension, including building background knowledge.

The course or training shall not include instructional methods or content based upon the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as “MSV.”

6. a. A candidate for the preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate shall pass a certification exam in evidence-based early reading instruction. The Commissioner of Education shall develop the exam.

b. The holder of a current preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate issued prior to the effective date of this act shall demonstrate proficiency in evidence-based early reading instruction in a manner, and on a schedule, to be determined by the commissioner.

7. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the implementation of evidence-based early reading instruction in the public schools. Specifically, the bill requires:

· the Commissioner of Education to develop an evidence-based early literacy plan for students in preschool through grade three;

· candidates for teaching certification to meet additional testing and course requirements on evidence-based early reading instruction;

· the State Board of Education to revise its New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts and professional development requirements for teachers to ensure the use of evidence-based early reading instruction; and

· school districts to provide evidence-based early reading instruction to students enrolled in preschool through grade three.

Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education is required, within one year of the bill’s effective date, to develop a scientific, evidence-based early literacy plan for students in preschool through grade three. The plan is to include evidence-based early reading instruction that follows a scope and sequence that is direct, systematic, responsive, and that develops early literacy through emphasis on:

(1) phonics, including decoding and encoding and instruction in writing;

(2) phonemic awareness and phonological awareness;

(3) fluency, including oral language development;

(4) vocabulary; and

(5) comprehension, including building background knowledge.

The plan cannot include instructional methods based upon the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as "MSV.”

The bill requires that the early literacy plan include recommendations to the State Board of Education on any necessary revisions or additions to the professional development requirement established by the State board for public school teaching staff members. The plan is to be posted to the Department of Education’s website.

The bill further provides that, upon receipt and consideration of the early literacy plan, the State Board of Education is to revise the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts to ensure the use of evidence-based early reading instruction as the primary pedagogy used by the public schools to develop early student literacy.

The bill requires each school district, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill’s effective date, to provide evidence-based early reading instruction to students enrolled in preschool through grade three consistent with the recommendations of the early literacy plan developed by the Commissioner of Education and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts revised by the State Board of Education. Additionally, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill’s effective date, the bill prohibits school districts from using instructional methods or content that promote the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as "MSV.”

The bill also provides that, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill’s effective date, all candidates for teaching certification who have completed an educator preparation program at a commissioner-approved educator preparation program provider are to have satisfactorily earned a minimum of six academic credits in coursework on evidence-based early reading instruction. To meet this goal, the bill requires all commissioner-approved educator preparation program providers to review and update their educator preparation programs, as needed, and to submit the revisions to the Department of Education for approval. The program provider is to provide to the department copies of any syllabi developed for a course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction. Additionally, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill’s effective date, any person seeking certification through the alternate route is required to, within one year of being employed, satisfactorily complete a course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction. Courses or training on evidence-based early reading instruction are not to include instructional methods based upon the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on “MSV.”

Finally, the bill requires a candidate for the preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate to pass a certification exam in evidence-based early reading instruction. The Commissioner of Education is to develop the exam. Also, the holder of a current preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate issued prior to the bill’s effective date is to demonstrate proficiency in evidence-based early reading instruction in a manner, and on a schedule, to be determined by the commissioner.