House Bill hb0555

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 555

        By Representative Joyner






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to reading instruction;

  3         providing legislative intent regarding required

  4         reading instruction; requiring each public

  5         elementary school to develop and implement

  6         programs for reading and literacy development

  7         in kindergarten through grade 5; requiring the

  8         Department of Education to provide technical

  9         support; providing an effective date.

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11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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13         Section 1.  Required reading instruction in

14  kindergarten through grade 5.--

15         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that reading is a major

16  foundational skill for all school-based learning. It further

17  recognizes the importance of instruction in reading in primary

18  grades to improve a student's academic performance. The public

19  schools of this state have successfully improved student

20  performance by increasing the number of instructional hours

21  spent on reading in the primary grades. Engaging students in

22  learning through curriculum that emphasizes reading offers the

23  additional benefits of reducing disciplinary problems and

24  diminishing the need for social promotion of students who have

25  not learned to read.

26         (2)  To encourage local control in the determination of

27  reading and literacy development programs, each public

28  elementary school shall develop and implement an appropriately

29  designed reading program to include daily reading and literacy

30  development in kindergarten through grade 5.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 555

    772-104B-02






  1         (3)  Each public elementary school shall devote a

  2  locally determined amount of time each day to reading and

  3  literacy development in kindergarten through grade 5.

  4         (4)  The Department of Education shall provide

  5  technical support and guidance to any public elementary school

  6  that requests assistance pertaining to the implementation of

  7  this section.

  8         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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11                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Provides legislative intent regarding required reading
13    instruction. Requires each public elementary school to
      develop and implement programs for reading and literacy
14    development in kindergarten through grade 5. Requires the
      Department of Education to provide technical support.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.