A. Contingent on the provision of appropriated funds designated for the Strong Readers Act, school districts may be allocated monies for each enrolled kindergarten student or first-, second-, and third-grade student of the current school year who is found to be in need of remediation or intensive intervention services in reading. The allocation shall be distributed to each school district upon approval of the strong readers plan for the school district by the State Board of Education and the submittal of a child-count report to the State Department of Education that details the number of students identified as needing remediation or intensive intervention services in reading. To determine a per-student allocation amount, the total amount of funds available for allocation each year shall be divided by the total number of students in the state identified as in need of remediation or intensive intervention services in reading as provided for in Section 1210.508C of this title. Each school district shall be allocated an amount equal to the per- student allocation amount multiplied by the number of identified students enrolled in the school district. B. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, districts receiving more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) pursuant to subsection A of this section shall spend no less than ten percent (10%) to provide professional development for teachers teaching prekindergarten through grade five. The professional development shall include training in the science of reading including how students learn to read; training in providing explicit and systematic instruction in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; implementing reading strategies that research has shown to be successful in improving reading among students with reading difficulties; and instructional materials required for implementation. C. By June 30, 2022, the Department shall approve and publish a list of professional development programs that are evidence-based and directly address the cognitive science of how students learn to read for which districts are permitted to use the funds received under this section. D. If a teacher attends and completes a professional development institute in elementary reading approved by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability during the summer or when school is not in session, the teacher may receive a stipend equal to the amount of the cost for a substitute teacher, based on the amount of funds allocated. Added by Laws 1998, c. 332, § 2, eff. July 1, 1998. Amended by Laws 1999, c. 304, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2000, c. 289, § 4, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2005, c. 242, § 21, eff. July 1, 2005; Laws 2008, c. 387, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Laws 2011, c. 171, § 2; Laws 2012, c. 171, § 2, eff. July 1, 2012; Laws 2021, c. 336, § 1; Laws 2024, c. 411, § 6, eff. July 1, 2024.
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