BILL NUMBER: AB 65 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 730
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 29, 2002
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 27, 2002
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 26, 2002
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 5, 2002
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 28, 2001
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 3, 2001
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2001
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Strom-Martin
DECEMBER 7, 2000
An act to add Article 1 (commencing with Section 51700) to Chapter
5 of Part 28 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 65, Strom-Martin. Reading First Plan.
Under existing law, the required course of study for grades 1 to
6, inclusive, includes instruction in English, including knowledge
of, and appreciation for literature and the language, as well as the
skills of speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting, and
composition.
This bill would establish the Reading First Plan to provide
reading instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 3,
inclusive, and to special education pupils in kindergarten and grades
1 to 12, inclusive. Under the bill, the State Department of
Education would administer the program that would be funded from
moneys allocated pursuant to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of
2001. The bill would require the plan submitted pursuant to the
federal act to authorize a local educational agency to use specific
instructional materials and to receive grants of up to $6,500 per
teacher in kindergarten and any of grades 1 to 3, inclusive, to
enhance reading instruction. The bill would authorize up to
$6,600,000 of federal funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for
the Reading First Plan to be allocated annually, pursuant to a
schedule, to reading implementation centers identified in the state's
Reading First Plan and to 6 regional lead agencies for technical
assistance, and for other specified purposes in accordance with the
Reading First Plan.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) California's reading efforts are based on high expectations
for all pupils.
(b) State adopted English language arts content standards, newly
adopted instructional programs for reading and language arts, and
professional development programs for teachers and principals are
centered around the scientific research on how children learn to
read.
(c) The Reading First Program established pursuant to this act
will assist California in its efforts to target high-need local
education agencies to ensure that all pupils in California learn to
read by the end of the third grade.
SEC. 2. Article 1 (commencing with Section 51700) of Chapter 5 of
Part 28 is added to the Education Code, to read:
Article 1. Reading First Plan
51700. (a) There is hereby established the Reading First Plan to
provide reading instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to
3, inclusive, and to special education pupils in kindergarten and
grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(b) The plan shall be administered by the State Department of
Education and shall be funded from moneys allocated pursuant to Title
I of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec.
6301 et seq.).
(c) The Reading First Plan submitted to the Secretary of Education
pursuant to Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
(20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) shall do all of the following:
(1) Authorize a local educational agency that meets all the
requirements of Section 6362(c)(6) of Title 20 of the United States
Code to be eligible for Reading First funding if pupils enrolled in
kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 3, inclusive, and special
education pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12,
inclusive, are provided with standards-aligned textbooks or basic
instructional materials aligned with the reading/language arts
content standards pursuant to Section 60605 by the beginning of the
first school term that commences no later than 24 months after those
materials are adopted by the State Board of Education.
(2) Authorize a local educational agency to use scientifically
based reading research supplemental instructional materials for
pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 3, inclusive,
and special education pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of
grades 1 to 12, inclusive, that are aligned with the reading/language
arts content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605. The local
educational agency shall provide an explanation in its application
of how its use of these supplemental instructional materials support
the reading/language arts instructional materials adopted by the
State Board of Education for pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any
of grades 1 to 3, inclusive, and special education pupils enrolled in
kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(3) Authorize an eligible local educational agency to receive a
grant in the amount of up to six thousand five hundred dollars
($6,500) per teacher in kindergarten or in any of grades 1 to 3,
inclusive, unless otherwise required pursuant to Section 6362(c)(2)
(A) of Title 20 of the United States Code. In addition, to the
extent that a local educational agency needs additional funding
consistent with the maximum amount allowable under the federal No
Child Left Behind Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et. seq.), authorize the local
educational agency to submit a plan justifying that need to the State
Department of Education and the Department of Finance for their
joint approval. A grant awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall be
used to enhance reading instruction, including, but not limited to,
the following purposes:
(A) Purchasing and implementing scientifically based reading
research instructional and supplemental materials in reading language
arts, pursuant to requirements specified in the Reading First Plan
and paragraph (2).
(B) Participating in professional development in reading and
language arts, pursuant to requirements specified in the Reading
First Plan. A Reading First funded agency may not claim funding for
teachers of kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 3, inclusive, or
teachers of special education pupils for the Mathematics and Reading
Professional Development Program established pursuant to Article 3
(commencing with Section 99230) of Chapter 5 of Part 65.
(C) Hiring reading coaches or reading content experts, or both.
(D) Purchasing reading and language arts assessments.
(E) Other purposes, as specified in Section 6362(c)(7) of Title 20
of the United States Code.
(e) A local educational agency shall submit an expenditure plan as
part of its Reading First application include details about how it
is going to use its funding.
51702. Of the federal funds appropriated in Item 6110-126-0890 of
Section 2.00 of the annual Budget Act for the Reading First Plan, up
to six million six hundred thousand dollars ($6,600,000) may be
allocated annually in the following manner:
(a) The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) to the reading
implementation centers, as identified in the Reading First Plan, to
provide technical assistance to local educational agencies for the
purpose of enhancing reading instruction. The amount of funding that
each reading implementation center receives shall be contingent upon
an expenditure plan being submitted to, and reviewed by, the State
Department of Education, and being approved by the State Board of
Education.
(b) The sum of one million three hundred fifty thousand dollars
($1,350,000) to the six regional lead agencies established pursuant
to Section 51871 for startup costs and to increase capacity in order
to become a reading implementation center. The six regional lead
agencies need not be identified in the Reading First Plan.
(c) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) to be
used for all of the following in accordance with the Reading First
Plan:
(1) Developing materials and assessments for training teachers.
(2) Ensuring that professional development for teachers and
instruction for pupils is consistent in quality and delivery.
(3) Providing assistance to local educational agencies to startup
reading implementation centers.