Section 120B.12 Reading Intervention

MINNESOTA STATUTES AND CODES

Section 120B.12 Reading Intervention

120B.12 READING INTERVENTION.

Subdivision 1.Literacy goal.

The legislature seeks to have Minnesota's children able to read no later than the end of second grade.

Subd. 2.Identification; report.

For the 2002-2003 school year and later, each school district shall identify before the end of first grade students who are at risk of not learning to read before the end of second grade. The district must use a locally adopted assessment method. The district must annually report the results of the assessment to the commissioner by June 1.

Subd. 3.Intervention.

For each student identified under subdivision 2, the district shall provide a reading intervention method or program to assist the student in reaching the goal of learning to read no later than the end of second grade. District intervention methods shall encourage parental involvement and, where possible, collaboration with appropriate school and community programs. Intervention methods may include, but are not limited to, requiring attendance in summer school and intensified reading instruction that may require that the student be removed from the regular classroom for part of the school day.

Subd. 4.Staff development.

Each district shall identify the staff development needs to ensure that:

(1) elementary teachers are able to implement comprehensive, scientifically based, and balanced reading instruction programs that have resulted in improved student performance;

(2) elementary teachers who are instructing students identified under subdivision 2 are prepared to teach using the intervention methods or programs selected by the district for the identified students; and

(3) all licensed teachers employed by the district have regular opportunities to improve reading instruction.

Subd. 5.Commissioner.

The commissioner shall recommend to districts multiple assessment tools that will assist districts and teachers with identifying students under subdivision 2. The commissioner shall also make available to districts examples of nationally recognized and research-based instructional methods or programs that districts may use to provide reading intervention according to this section.