005.28.22 Ark. Code R. § 010 Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing the Right to Read Act

• Library: Arkansas Administrative Code
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, December, 2023
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 005.28.22 Ark. Code R. § 010

Effective Date: June 5, 2022

1.00 REGULATORY AUTHORITY

1.01 The State Board of Education enacted these rules pursuant to its authority as set forth in Ark. Code Ann §§ 6Powers and duties6-11-105 6Rules6-17-402 6Right to read act6-17-429, and 25Title25-15-201 et seq.

2.00 DEFINITIONS

2.01 "Division" means the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education of the Arkansas Department of Education.

2.02 "Prescribed pathway" means approved professional development that meets the criteria established by the Division.

2.03 "Public school district" includes traditional public schools, open-enrollment charter schools, and district conversion charter schools.

2.04 "Science of reading" is the study of the relationship between cognitive science and educational outcomes, also referred to as scientific reading instruction.

2.05 "Structured literacy" is the approach by which licensed personnel teach reading in an explicit, systematic, cumulative and diagnostic manner.

3.00 REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCIENTIFIC READING INSTRUCTION

3.01 By the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, a public school district including an open-enrollment public charter school, shall establish the professional development program as required by Section 3.03 and the program shall be provided on an annual basis after the professional development in Section 4.02 is complete.

3.02 Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, a public school district, including an open-enrollment public charter school, shall provide the following professional development in scientific reading instruction: 3.02.1 For teachers licensed at the elementary level in kindergarten through grade six (K-6) teaching math, science, social studies, or English language arts, teachers with a special education license in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12), and teachers licensed as reading specialists in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12), professional development for one (1) of the prescribed pathways to obtaining a proficiency credential in knowledge and practices in scientific reading instruction; and 3.02.2 For teachers licensed at a level other than those listed in Section 3.02.1, professional development for one (1) of the prescribed pathways to obtaining an awareness credential in knowledge and practices in scientific reading instruction.

3.03 By the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, a public school district, including an open enrollment public charter school, shall include a literacy plan in the annual school-level improvement plan that shall include without limitation a curriculum program and a professional development program that is: 3.03.1 Aligned with the literacy needs of the district; and 3.03.2 Based on the science of reading.

4.00 PROFICIENCY AND AWARENESS FOR EMPLOYMENT

4.01 By the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year:4.01.1 All teachers employed in any of the following teaching positions shall demonstrate proficiency in knowledge and practices of scientific reading instruction: 4.01.1.1 Elementary school teachers in grades kindergarten through six (K-6) teaching math, science, social studies, or English language arts; 4.01.1.2 K-12 Special education teachers; 4.01.1.3 Teachers of English Language Learners in grades kindergarten through six (K-6); and 4.01.1.4 Reading specialists. 4.01.2 A teacher described in Section 4.01.1 who has not demonstrated proficiency by the 2023-2024 school year may be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency by being placed in intensive support status for a period of time specified by the teacher's evaluator in the professional growth plan for the teacher. 4.01.3 All other educators shall demonstrate awareness in knowledge and practices of scientific reading instruction.

4.02 All teachers who begin employment in the 2023-2024 school year, and each following school year, shall demonstrate proficiency or awareness in knowledge and practices in scientific reading instruction as is applicable to their teaching position by completing the prescribed proficiency or awareness in knowledge and practices of the scientific reading instruction credential either: 4.02.1 As a condition of licensure; or 4.02.2 Within one (1) year if the teacher is:4.02.2.1 Already licensed; or 4.02.2.2 Employed under a waiver from licensure.

4.03 Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year each public school district, including open-enrollment public charter...