Bills › 90th General Assembly
Relating to reading instruction, including modifying provisions related to the language arts instruction provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade three and the preparation in reading theory provided by practitioner preparation programs, and including applicability provisions
Sponsored by the Senate Education Committee
Topics:K–12 education
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 17, 2024
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 17, 2024
- Done: Senate committeeJanuary 31, 2024
- Done: Passes the SenateApril 17, 202446–0
- Skipped: House committeeSkipped
- Done: Passes the HouseApril 2, 202492–3
- Done: To the GovernorApril 24, 2024
- Done: Signed into lawMay 7, 2024
HF 2618 became law → The same legislation passed as HF 2618, so this version was set aside. Go to HF 2618 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Starting in 2026, students in kindergarten through third grade will receive reading instruction based on proven methods like phonics and vocabulary. This law stops schools from using certain guessing strategies, such as looking at pictures or context clues, to teach children how to read words. It also changes how future teachers are trained so they learn these same evidence-based reading techniques.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to reading instruction, including modifying provisions related to the language arts instruction provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade three and the preparation in reading theory provided by practitioner preparation programs. The bill requires the kindergarten program to include experiences designed to develop growth in skills related to encoding and decoding words. The bill modifies provisions related to the language arts instruction provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade three in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools. The bill provides that, commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2026, such instruction shall include evidence-based early reading instruction that follows a scope and sequence and that is direct, systematic, explicit, responsive, and that consists of phonemic and phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Additionally, the bill prohibits such instruction from incorporating any strategies or approaches that are designed to teach students to read words based on meaning drawn from context, structure and syntax, visual cues and pictures, or rote memorization, including the instruction model commonly known as the three-cueing system. The bill modifies provisions related to preparation in reading theory, knowledge, strategies, and approaches provided in practitioner preparation programs. The bill requires that such preparation include evidence-based early reading instruction and practical application that follow a scope and sequence that are direct, systematic, explicit, responsive, and that also consist of phonemic and phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The bill prohibits such preparation from including instruction or practical application that is designed to teach students to encode and decode words based on meaning drawn from context, structure and syntax, visual cues and pictures, or rote memorization, including the instruction model commonly known as the three-cueing system. The bill provides that these provisions apply to students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program on or after July 1, 2025. The bill defines “evidence-based” to mean instruction based on studies that use rigorous methods to control common threats to internal and external validity, measures found to be reliable and valid indicators of literacy, and research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention.
Changed since by amendments S-5125, H-8253; see Amendments.
Senate subcommittee
Named January 17, 2024 (as SSB 3069). On January 23, 2024 it recommended passage. [].
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
17 written public comments to its subcommittee: February 13, 2024 (5), February 7, 2024 (1), January 23, 2024 (11) · on the Legislature’s site
Fiscal note
Cost: up to $430,000 Compare with other bills
AI summary This bill changes reading instruction standards for kindergarten through grade three and modifies requirements for teacher preparation programs. The state's fiscal impact is estimated at $430,000 in fiscal year 2025, which includes a $400,000 ongoing cost for new positions at the Iowa Reading Research Center and a $30,000 one-time cost for Iowa State University to redevelop courses. Individual school districts may also face one-time costs to update their curricula, though the exact amount is unknown.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
Senate File 2195 modifies standards for reading instruction in kindergarten through grade three at school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools. These changes include specific instruction requirements and prohibitions which go into effect for the school year beginning July 1, 2026. The Bill also modifies the requirements for practitioner preparation programs related to reading theory, knowledge, strategies, and approaches for students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program on or after July 1, 2025. These changes include specific instruction requirements and prohibitions.
Background
Iowa Code section 256.11 establishes PK-12 educational standards for public and nonpublic schools. The standards related to reading instruction for kindergarten programs require the inclusion of experiences that develop growth in language arts and communication skills. For grades one through six, schools are required to provide instruction in English-language arts.
Assumptions
- There are approximately 142,000 kindergarten through grade three students enrolled in Iowa public schools, according to 2023-2024 enrollment data.
- The number of districts with a reading curriculum for kindergarten through grade three that do not comply with this Bill is unknown.
- For districts requiring curriculum updates, the one-time implementation cost to update the curriculum is between $20 and $36 per student.
- School districts that already comply with the new standards will not see any costs associated with this Bill.
- The University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa will not need to modify their practitioner preparation programs.
- Iowa State University will be required to redevelop three courses in its practitioner preparation program. The cost of redeveloping a course is approximately $10,000.
- The Iowa Reading Research Center will need 4.0 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to support districts as they support school districts across the State, costing $100,000 for each position.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact to the State is estimated to be $430,000 in FY 2025. This includes a $400,000 ongoing cost to the Iowa Reading Research Center for 4.0 new FTE positions and a $30,000 one-time cost to Iowa State University for redeveloping three of its courses. There may be a one-time fiscal impact to individual school districts. The costs will be paid from the individual school district’s general fund; however, the number of school districts that will need to modify their reading curriculum for kindergarten through grade three is unknown. Figure 1 shows the projected cost range of implementing the new reading curriculum at various levels of need.
Figure 1 — Estimated Implementation Costs by Percentage of Students Statewide
Sources
- Department of Education
- Iowa Association of School Boards
- Board of Regents
- Legislative Services Agency
- Reading Instruction, Practitioner Preparation and Elementary Curricula · March 12, 2024 · $430,000
Iowa Code it changes
Lobbying
7 for · 0 against · 14 undecided · Who →
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90th General Assembly