The Alaska Reads Act

District Reading Intervention

Each school district is required to offer intensive reading intervention services based on the to students in K-3 who exhibit a reading deficiency to assist students in achieving reading proficiency at or above grade level by the end of third grade. Intervention services must be based on the Science of Reading. Reading intervention must be provided in addition to, not in replace of, the core reading instruction which is provided to all students in a general education classroom.

In order to identify which students need reading intervention, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) will adopt a statewide screening tool for the early detection of reading deficiencies, including characteristics of dyslexia. The screening tool will be administered three times each school year to track student progress. Students who demonstrate sufficient reading skills on the first screening of the school year will not have to repeat the screening. When a reading deficiency is identified, the district is responsible for notifying the student’s parent or guardian and providing an individual reading improvement plan.

If a student in kindergarten through second grade has a reading deficiency following the Spring administration of the assessment tool, school staff must meet with the student’s parent or guardian and explain that the student will not be able to maintain adequate academic progress at the next grade level. Following the meeting, the parent or guardian determines whether the student will be promoted the next grade.

If the Spring administration of the screening tool indicates a third grade student has a reading deficiency, the school is responsible for scheduling a meeting with the student’s parent or guardian. The student will not be promoted to the fourth grade unless the parent or guardian signs a waiver developed by DEED which acknowledges that the student is not prepared and agrees that the student will participate in an additional 20 hours of individual reading improvement plan services the summer before the fourth grade.

For any student in K-3 with a reading deficiency identified by the Spring administration of the screening tool, if no parent or guardian attends the meeting with school staff or does not determine the student’s progression, the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee will determine if the student progresses based on the student’s best interest.

DEED will provide training to school district staff on the use of the screening tool and evidence-based reading interventions.

Questions on the Alaska Reads Act? Email us at AKReads@alaska.gov

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District Reading Intervention

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