This amendment changes how teachers are trained in literacy, sets new rules for reading tests and plans for students in grades K-8, clarifies that special education plans take priority over other laws, and ensures staff get paid if training happens outside normal work hours.
Louisiana2026Enacted
HB316
Louisiana Law on Student Literacy Instruction
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:26 AM
In one sentence
This law sets new training rules for teachers of young children and older students, requires schools to review student learning plans annually within the first eight weeks of school, and defines specific literacy skills needed by students in grades four through eight.
What it does
- Requires teacher training programs for kindergarten through third grade to include instruction on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
- Mandates that special education and secondary teacher candidates learn strategies for adolescent literacy, including how to help students with dyslexia.
- Prohibits the use of three-cueing systems models in instructional materials used by teachers trained under this law.
- Requires public schools to review individual student reading or numeracy plans within the first eight weeks of each school year.
- Allows different types of student improvement plans, such as reading and accelerated instruction plans, to be combined into a single plan for one student.
Who it affects
- Teacher education programs preparing candidates for kindergarten through third grade certification.
- Special education and secondary education teacher training programs.
- Public school governing authorities and public schools in Louisiana.
- Students in grades four through eight who need literacy support.
Limits and unknowns
- This law does not override or change requirements for individualized education programs (IEPs) required by federal law.
- The specific details of how schools will combine different student plans are left to the school's discretion as long as they follow state rules.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Science of reading
- A research-based approach to teaching reading that includes explicit instruction in phonics, decoding, and other foundational skills.
- Three-cueing systems model
- A method of teaching reading identified by the law as flawed; it relies on guessing words using context or pictures rather than sounding them out.
- Adolescent literacy
- The skills needed by students in grades four through eight to read, write, and understand text across all subject areas.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
EDUCATION: Provides relative to student literacy (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Official activity
Bill history
- Effective date: 08/01/2026.H
- Becomes Act No. 964 without the Governor's signature.H
- Sent to the Governor for executive approval.H
- Signed by the President of the Senate.S
- Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.H
- Read by title, roll called, yeas 92, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.H
- Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.H
- Received from the Senate with amendments.H
- Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.S
- Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.S
- Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.S
- Rules suspended. Recalled from Committee.S
- Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.S
- Senate Committee amendments read and adopted.S
- Reported with amendments.S
- Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.S
- Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.S
- Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.H
- Scheduled for floor debate on 04/28/2026.H
- Read by title, ordered reengrossed, passed to 3rd reading.H
Changes
Amendments
7 stored
Filed 6
This amendment adds a single comma to the text on page 8, line 4 of House Bill No. 316.
This amendment records that the House voted to agree with changes made by the Senate to a bill about student literacy.
This amendment updates the bill to ban the 'three-cueing' reading method, protect special education plans from being overridden by new rules, and ensure teachers are paid or given time during their workday for required training.
This amendment fixes a small grammar error by adding the words 'for' and 'a' to make sure the sentence about student plans is clear.
This amendment updates the bill to ban the three-cueing reading method, require training on why it is flawed, protect special education plans from being overridden, and ensure teachers are paid or given time during their workday for new literacy requirements.