SECTION 210:15-27-1. District Reading Sufficiency Plans and Summer Academy Reading Programs

(a)   Definitions. The following terms, when used in this Subsection, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1)   "Individualized Program of Reading Instruction", also referred to as "Academic Progress Plan" ("APP"), means the program of reading instruction developed pursuant to 70 O.S. § 1210.508C for a student in first, second, or third grade who is not meeting grade level targets in reading, which is designed to enable the student to acquire the appropriate grade level reading skills.

(2)   "READ Initiative" means the Reading Enhancement and Acceleration Development Initiative that each school district is directed to establish pursuant to 70 O.S. § 1210.508C, which shall be focused on preventing the retention of third grade students, and which comprises statutory components including but not limited to: availability to all kindergarten through third grade students at risk of retention as identified by Reading Sufficiency Act assessments; provision of services during regular school hours; and a reading curriculum that provides skill development in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

(b)   District Reading Sufficiency Plans. Each public school district will develop a District Reading Sufficiency Plan that includes a plan for each school site. The district and site reading plans shall provide for all students to receive at least ninety (90) minutes of reading instruction. Each Reading Sufficiency Plan must be updated annually, signed by the school site principal, and electronically submitted to and approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) Office of Curriculum and Instruction no later than August 30 as part of the requirements for receiving accreditation, provided that electronic submission and approval of annual updates to the district plan shall not be required if:

(1)   The last plan submitted by the school district was approved; and

(2)   Expenditures for the district's reading program include only expenses relating to:

(A)   Individual and small group tutoring;

(B)   Purchase of and training in the use of screening and assessment measures;

(C)   Summer school programs; or

(D)   Saturday school programs.

(c)   Conditions requiring annual submission of Plans. If any expenditure for the district's reading program is deleted or changed or if any other type of expenditure for the district's reading program is implemented, the school district shall be required to submit the latest annual update for approval. Notwithstanding the provisions of (a)(1) and (2) of this Section, if a district has one or more schools that are not achieving the annual improvement goals as outlined in the Reading Sufficiency Act, or if a district has one or more schools designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) site, the district shall submit its District Reading Sufficiency Plan for approval no later than August 30 of the applicable school year.

(d)   Submitting data for the annual report to the Legislature. Each school district and each school site shall submit to the State Department of Education the information to be used for the annually required Reading Sufficiency Act report to the Oklahoma Legislature by the submission deadline to be determined by the Office of Instruction of the State Department of Education.

(e)   Reporting the number of students in need of remediation. Each school district will submit to the OSDE the "Beginning of Year" report indicating the number of students in kindergarten, first, second and third grades found to be in need of remediation in reading based on screening instruments approved by the State Board of Education by October 1.

(f)   Funding. Contingent on the availability of appropriated funds designated for the Reading Sufficiency Act, the State Department of Education may allocate funds to public school districts in accordance with the provisions of 70 O.S. § 1210.508D. Superintendents of school districts allocated such funds will sign and submit an assurance statement that their reading program meets the requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Act prior to receipt of funding. In order to be eligible for Reading Sufficiency Act funds, a school district must submit its District Reading Sufficiency Plan to the OSDE by August 30, and must submit its "Beginning of Year" report of the number of students in need of remediation by October 1. A school district that has not submitted either of these documents by the applicable due dates will not be eligible to receive Reading Sufficiency Act funds for the school year in which the submission was not provided to the OSDE by the due date. A district that is unable to meet a submission deadline due to a technical problem in its Student Information System or in a system operated by the OSDE should immediately notify the Office of Curriculum and Instruction of the technical difficulty preventing a timely submission, and may be provided an extension of the applicable due date until the relevant technical issue is resolved. A district that is unable to meet a submission deadline due to circumstances that are beyond the district's control, but not attributable to a technical issue, may file an appeal with the State Board of Education. Such appeals shall be considered by the Board within forty-five (45) days of receipt.

(g)   Authorized expenses for RSA funds. Reading sufficiency funds allocated pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section must be used for expenses relating to individual and small group tutoring, purchase of and and/or development of instructional training in the use of screening assessment measures, summer academy reading sufficiency plan programs, Saturday school programs, and any other reading program or professional development training contemplated as necessary by the districts to perform the goals of the Reading Sufficiency Act for students in the kindergarten, first, second, and third grades who have been identified by the elementary site as in need of a program of reading instruction. Professional development funded pursuant to this Section shall be consistent with guidance made available on the OSDE website by the Office of Curriculum and Instruction.

(h)   Summer Academy Reading Programs. Summer Academy Reading Programs for students, as authorized by 70 O.S. § 1210.508E shall be courses that:

(1)   provide at least four (4) weeks of tutoring a minimum of three (3) hours each day for four (4) days;

(2)   incorporate the content of a reading sufficiency plan that meets the criteria set forth in the Reading Sufficiency Act;

(3)   are taught by teachers who have successfully completed a professional development institute or program in reading as prescribed by the statutory provisions of the Reading Sufficiency Act; and

(4)   include only eligible students not reading at grade level based on results from an assessment approved by the State Board of Education.

(i)   Alternative schedule for Summer Academy Reading Program. School districts observing a continuous learning calendar may request to implement a Summer Academy Reading Program on an alternative schedule throughout the extended school year (e.g., during intersession breaks) by submitting a proposed alternative Summer Academy Reading Program schedule to the OSDE for approval prior to the deadline established by the Office of Curriculum and Instruction.

(j)   Promotion upon completion of a Summer Academy Reading Program. Upon completion of a Summer Academy Reading Program pursuant to 70 O.S. § 1210.508E, a student may demonstrate successful completion of the required competencies for reading necessary for promotion to fourth grade upon the student's completion of either:

(1)   A student portfolio in accordance with the criteria set forth in 210:15-27-2(b)(4); or

(2)   An acceptable level of performance on an alternative reading assessment in accordance with the criteria set forth in 210:15-27-2(b)(3)(A); or

(3)   An acceptable level of performance on one of the screening instruments approved by the State Board of Education.

[Source: Added at 16 Ok Reg 48, eff 10-9-98 (emergency); Added at 16 Ok Reg 1751, eff 6-11-99; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 3008, eff 7-12-01; Amended at 23 Ok Reg 70, eff 8-24-05 (emergency); Amended at 23 Ok Reg 1233, eff 5-25-06; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 102, eff 10-7-11 (emergency); Amended at 29 Ok Reg 976, eff 6-26-12; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 1607, eff 7-11-13; Amended at 33 Ok Reg 699, eff 8-25-16; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 1196, eff 9-11-20]