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HLS 26RS-802 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 316
BY REPRESENTATIVE WYBLE
EDUCATION: Provides relative to student literacy
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.10(K), to enact R.S. 17:7.2(A)(11) through (13), 24.14,
3 100.13(N), and 3996(B)(24), and to repeal R.S. 17:24.9(C), relative to literacy; to
4 require that certain teacher education programs provide for certain components
5 relative to adolescent literacy; to provide requirements for the state Department of
6 Education, public school governing authorities, and public schools with respect to
7 adolescent literacy; to provide with respect to high-dosage tutoring; to provide for
8 definitions; to provide for applicability and implementation; and to provide for
9 related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 17:24.10(K) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
12 17:7.2(A)(11) through (13), 24.14, 100.13(N), and 3996(B)(24) are hereby enacted to read
13 as follows:
14 §7.2. Approved teacher education programs
15 A. In carrying out its responsibility to prescribe the qualifications and
16 provide for the certification of teachers under authority of R.S. 17:7(6), the State
17 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, subject to the constitutional power
18 and authority of the Board of Regents, the Board of Supervisors for the University
19 of Louisiana System, the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and
20 Agricultural and Mechanical College, and the Board of Supervisors of Southern
21 University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, shall establish qualifications
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1 and requirements for the approval of teacher education programs from which
2 graduates may be certified. The qualifications and requirements established by the
3 State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for an approved teacher
4 education program shall include but not be limited to the following:
5 * * *
6 (11) That a program for candidates seeking certification to teach students in
7 kindergarten through third grade include instruction on foundational literacy skills
8 that includes the following:
9 (a) How to effectively teach the foundational literacy skills of phonemic
10 awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
11 (b) How to differentiate instruction for teaching students with advanced
12 literacy skills and students with significant literacy deficiencies, including dyslexia.
13 (c) How to implement effective literacy instruction using high quality
14 instructional materials.
15 (d) How to administer literacy screeners to students, interpret results using
16 state-established benchmarks, and apply data to instructional planning and
17 intervention decisions.
18 (12)(a) That a program for special education and secondary education
19 teacher candidates include instruction on adolescent literacy skills that includes the
20 following:
21 (i) Effective strategies for teaching reading aligned to instruction based on
22 the science of reading, including explicit and systematic instruction in phonological
23 awareness, the alphabetic principle, oral language development, comprehension,
24 content literacy instruction, disciplinary literacy instruction, writing, and advanced
25 phonics including encoding, fluency, and morphology including etymology.
26 (ii) Implementation of reading instruction using high quality instructional
27 materials as identified by the state Department of Education.
28 (iii) Provision of effective instruction on interventions for all students,
29 including students with dyslexia.
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1 (iv) Understanding and use of student data to make instructional decisions.
2 (v) Incorporation of content literacy across disciplinary areas.
3 (b) For the purposes of this Paragraph, "adolescent literacy", "content
4 literacy", and "disciplinary literacy" shall be defined as in R.S. 17:24.14.
5 (13) That the requirements in Paragraphs (11) and (12) of this Subsection be
6 aligned to ensure continuity and progression of instruction across certification areas
7 and grade spans.
8 * * *
9 §24.10. Early literacy instruction and screening; foundational numeracy skills
10 instruction and screening; parental notification; reporting
11 * * *
12 K.(1) Each public school governing authority shall ensure that any individual
13 student plan as provided this Section or consolidated student plan as provided for in
14 Paragraph (2) of this Subsection that was developed in a prior school year is annually
15 reviewed during the first eight weeks of school. For each plan, the review shall
16 include:
17 (a) Evaluation of the effectiveness of prior-year interventions, additional
18 support, and services offered to the student in the previous year.
19 (b) Identification of updates needed to the support offered through the plan.
20 (c) Input from any members of the team that initially developed the plan,
21 including but not limited to the teacher, reading specialist or interventionist,
22 principal, other pertinent school personnel, and the parent or guardian.
23 (2) The following plans may be consolidated into a single plan for each
24 student, as applicable:
25 (1) (a) Individual reading improvement plans as provided for in Subsection
26 F of this Section.
27 (2) (b) Individual numeracy improvement plans as provided for in
28 Subsection J of this Section.
29 (3) (c) Individual reading plans as provided for in R.S. 17:24.11.
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1 (4) (d) Plans for accelerated instruction as provided for in R.S. 17:100.13(H).
2 * * *
3 §24.14. Adolescent literacy instruction and assessment; parental notification;
4 professional development
5 A. For purposes of this Section:
6 (1) "Adolescent literacy" means the development and application of reading,
7 writing, language, and comprehension skills necessary for students in grades four
8 through eight to access, understand, analyze, and produce grade-level text across all
9 subject areas.
10 (2) "Adolescent literacy intervention course" means a professional learning
11 course that includes all of the components of an adolescent literacy professional
12 development course as defined in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection and all of the
13 following:
14 (a) Comprehensive training on the science of reading, including explicit and
15 systematic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, including
16 decoding and encoding, fluency, vocabulary, syntax, and comprehension.
17 (b) Approaches to assist educators in determining which students may be at
18 risk for development of reading and writing difficulties, including dyslexia,
19 dysgraphia, and other learning differences.
20 (c) Training in the identification of and the use of appropriate interventions,
21 accommodations, and teaching techniques for students with reading and writing
22 difficulties, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning differences.
23 (d) Training in the identification of reading deficiencies based on reading
24 assessment data.
25 (3) "Adolescent literacy professional development course" means a
26 professional learning course that is based on the science of reading designed for the
27 professional development of educators and includes all of the following:
28 (a) Strategies to increase educator knowledge of how to teach reading and
29 writing skills for students.
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1 (b) Identification of literacy skills essential to specific content areas.
2 (c) Explicit and systematic instruction in advanced phonics, vocabulary,
3 morphology, comprehension, content literacy, disciplinary literacy, knowledge
4 building, and writing.
5 (d) Research strategies based on the science of reading for how to identify
6 and address reading deficiencies in adolescent learners.
7 (4) "Content literacy" means a literacy instructional approach where students
8 use general reading and writing strategies to learn information across subject and
9 content areas.
10 (5) "Disciplinary literacy" means a literacy instructional approach that
11 teaches students how to use literacy to think, interpret text, and engage in advanced
12 participation and conversations like a disciplinary expert would.
13 (6) "Student" means a student in grades four through eight.
14 (7) "Teacher" means each fourth through eighth grade teacher who teaches
15 reading or English language arts.
16 B. The state Department of Education, referred to in this Section as the
17 "department", shall:
18 (1) Develop an adolescent literacy program for students, including special
19 education students.
20 (2)(a) Develop an approved list of one or more reliable and valid reading
21 assessments for students. In developing this list, the department shall consider:
22 (i) The time required to conduct the assessment, with the intention of
23 minimizing the impact on instructional time.
24 (ii) The timeline of statewide assessments during the spring semester.
25 (iii) The availability of appropriate accommodations for students with
26 specialized plans.
27 (iv) The timeliness in reporting assessment results to teachers,
28 administrators, and parents.
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1 (v) How assessment results can be used to inform instruction and
2 intervention, including diagnosis of and progress monitoring for students who may
3 qualify for high-dosage tutoring pursuant to R.S. 17:100.13.
4 (b) Any approved reading assessment shall include:
5 (i) A universal screener that identifies students at risk of reading failure with
6 progress monitoring capabilities.
7 (ii) A diagnostic tool which identifies specific skill deficits in early
8 foundational skills as well as deficits in advanced phonics, vocabulary, and
9 sentence-level comprehension.
10 (iii) A benchmark indicator for use throughout the school year to assess
11 progress and proficiency level overall and on discrete skills.
12 (3)(a) Develop or identify and approve adolescent literacy professional
13 development courses and adolescent literacy intervention courses.
14 (b) Make available resources for job-embedded coaching support for
15 administrators and teachers, including:
16 (i) Training on evidence-based reading instructional strategies and
17 data-based decision making.
18 (ii) Content literacy and disciplinary literacy instructional support to
19 reinforce student use of general reading and writing strategies as students learn
20 information across subjects and content areas.
21 (iii) Demonstration of lessons, co-teaching, modeling, and teacher
22 observation.
23 (iv) Feedback for improvement.
24 C. Each public school shall:
25 (1) Provide each student with core instruction that includes advanced
26 phonics, morphology, etymology, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing
27 according to grade-level standards for English language arts. Daily class schedules
28 shall be adaptable and allocate sufficient instructional time for core instruction,
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1 intervention, and academic enrichment as deemed appropriate by analysis of student
2 data.
3 (2) Within the first thirty days of each school year, administer an approved
4 reading assessment as provided in Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section to any student
5 who scored below mastery in English language arts on the state assessment
6 administered the prior school year.
7 (3) Within fifteen days of identifying that a student has demonstrated reading
8 deficiencies based on the results of the reading assessment, notify the student's parent
9 or legal guardian in writing that the student has been identified as having such
10 deficiencies. Such notification shall include:
11 (a) Notification that an individual reading improvement plan is being
12 developed as provided in Paragraph (5) of this Subsection.
13 (b) A description of the current services that are provided to the student and
14 suggested resources or strategies that the parent can use to support reading at home.
15 (c) Notification that the parent shall be informed in writing of the student's
16 progress toward becoming a skilled reader throughout the school year with each
17 progress report.
18 (4) Provide each student identified as having such deficiencies with intensive
19 interventions to address the specific deficiencies. The student shall be provided with
20 all of the following:
21 (a) Regular access to instruction from an individual who has completed an
22 approved adolescent literacy intervention course as provided in Paragraph (B)(3) of
23 this Section or is a reading teacher, reading specialist, or reading interventionist.
24 (b) Reading interventions and support using high quality instructional
25 materials in accordance with Paragraph (6) of this Subsection.
26 (c) Time in the student schedule, in addition to core instruction, for intensive
27 interventions.
28 (d) Targeted small group reading intervention based on student needs and
29 specified in an individual reading improvement plan.
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1 (e) Summer school remediation programs or other forms of remediation as
2 appropriate to meet the academic needs of the student.
3 (5) Provide each student, within thirty days of being identified as having
4 such deficiencies, with an individual reading improvement plan. The plan shall be
5 created by the teacher, reading specialist or interventionist, principal or designee, and
6 other pertinent school personnel in collaboration with the parents or guardians, who
7 shall be provided a written copy of the plan. The plan shall offer intensive reading
8 instructional intervention time for the student, while continuing grade-level
9 instruction, and shall remain in place until the student no longer demonstrates a
10 deficiency in reading in accordance with the approved reading assessment or the
11 state assessment in English language arts. The plan shall be documented using the
12 template provided by the department and shall include the following:
13 (a) The specific deficiencies in reading as determined by the state assessment
14 and the reading assessment system.
15 (b) The goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading.
16 (c) A description of the specific measures that shall be used to evaluate and
17 monitor the student's reading progress.
18 (d) A description of the proposed interventions and supplemental
19 instructional services aligned with scientifically based reading research that are
20 designed to remedy each identified reading deficiency and that shall be provided to
21 the student.
22 (e) Strategies, resources, and materials that shall be provided to the parent
23 or guardian to support student reading progress at home.
24 (f) For students who receive special education services, the alignment with
25 the student's Individualized Education Plan.
26 (g) Any additional services the teacher deems available and appropriate to
27 accelerate the student's reading development.
28 (6) Ensure, pursuant to R.S. 17:351.1, that all textbooks and instructional
29 materials used to teach and provide intervention services for students are
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1 high-quality, fully aligned to state content standards, content-rich, aligned with
2 scientifically based reading research, and focus on advanced phonics, vocabulary,
3 comprehension, and content writing embedded throughout all core subject areas.
4 Curricula and interventions used to teach reading shall focus on decoding, fluency,
5 and language structure as well as vocabulary, comprehension, and content writing.
6 (7)(a) Beginning September, 1, 2026, and triennially thereafter, develop and
7 submit to the department an adolescent literacy skills plan for students and post the
8 plan on its website. Each plan shall include:
9 (i) The amount of time to be spent daily on literacy skills instruction and a
10 description of how the instructional time shall be used.
11 (ii) A list of English language arts textbooks and instructional materials used
12 by the school.
13 (iii) A description of the interventions and support available to students
14 identified as having literacy skills below grade level.
15 (iv) A description of any professional development in literacy instruction
16 provided to teachers.
17 (b) This plan may be consolidated with the foundational literacy skills plan
18 provided for in R.S. 17:24.10(C) into a single school plan that meets the
19 requirements of this Paragraph and that Subsection.
20 D.(1) Each public school governing authority shall ensure that any individual
21 reading improvement plan as provided for in Paragraph (C)(5) of this Section or a
22 consolidated student plan as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection that was
23 developed in a prior school year is annually reviewed during the first eight weeks of
24 school. For each plan, the review shall include:
25 (a) Evaluation of the effectiveness of prior-year interventions, additional
26 support, and services offered to the student in the previous year.
27 (b) Identification of updates needed to the support offered through the plan.
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1 (c) Input from any members of the team that initially developed the plan,
2 including but not limited to the teacher, reading specialist or interventionist,
3 principal, other pertinent school personnel, and the parent or guardian.
4 (2) The following plans may be consolidated into a single plan for each
5 student, as applicable:
6 (a) Individual reading improvement plan as provided for in Paragraph (C)(5)
7 of this Section.
8 (b) Plan for accelerated instruction as provided for in R.S. 17:100.13(H).
9 E. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt rules
10 in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions
11 of this Section.
12 * * *
13 §100.13. Expanded academic support
14 * * *
15 N. A school board may provide ongoing coaching support in evidence-based
16 instruction to tutors delivering high-dosage tutoring.
17 * * *
18 §3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
19 * * *
20 B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and
21 except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a
22 charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
23 Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be
24 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are
25 applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for
26 the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
27 * * *
28 (24) Adolescent literacy, R.S. 17:24.14.
29 * * *
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1 Section 2. R.S. 17:24.9(C) is hereby repealed in its entirety.
2 Section 3.(A) The provisions of R.S. 17:24.14 as enacted by Section 1 of this Act
3 shall be implemented beginning with the 2027-2028 school year except for the September 1,
4 2026, plan submission deadline provided for in R.S. 17:24.14(C)(7).
5 (B) The provisions of R.S. 17:7.2(A)(12) and (13) as enacted by Section 1 of this
6 Act shall be applicable to persons entering teacher education programs during or after the
7 2027-2028 academic year.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 316 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Wyble
Abstract: Provides relative to literacy, including instruction and assessment for fourth
through eighth grade students and teacher education programs.
Teacher education programs
Present law requires the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to
establish qualifications and requirements for the approval of teacher education programs and
provides specific parameters for such qualifications and requirements. Proposed law retains
present law.
Present law requires that a program for candidates seeking certification to teach students in
kindergarten through third grade include instruction on certain specified foundational
literacy skills. Proposed law retains present law except that proposed law removes the
requirement that this include behavior management, trauma informed principles for the
classroom, and other developmentally appropriate supports to ensure that students can
effectively access literacy instruction.
Proposed law, applicable to students entering programs during or after the 2027-2028
academic year, additionally requires that programs for candidates seeking certification to
teach special education and secondary education include instruction on certain specified
adolescent literacy skills.
Adolescent literacy (fourth through eighth grade)
Proposed law requires the state Dept. of Education (DOE) to do the following with respect
to adolescent literacy:
(1) Develop an adolescent literacy program for students, including special education
students.
(2) Develop an approved list of one or more reliable and valid reading assessments.
(3) Develop or identify and approve adolescent literacy professional development
courses and adolescent literacy intervention courses and make available resources
for job-embedded coaching support for administrators and teachers.
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Proposed law requires public schools to do the following with respect to adolescent literacy:
(1) Provide each student with core instruction that includes specified literacy
components.
(2) Administer the aforementioned proposed law reading assessment to any student who
scored below mastery in English language arts on the state assessment administered
the prior school year.
(3) Notify parent within 15 days of identifying that a student has reading deficiencies
based on the assessment results.
(4) Provide each such student with intensive interventions to address specific
deficiencies.
(5) Provide each such student, within 30 days of such identification, with an individual
reading improvement plan.
(6) Ensure that all textbooks and instructional materials meet certain criteria.
(7) Beginning Sept. 1, 2026, and triennially thereafter, develop and submit to the
department an adolescent literacy skills plan for students and post the plan on its
website.
Proposed law requires public school governing authorities to ensure that any individual
student plan developed in a prior school year is annually reviewed during the first eight
weeks of school and provides specific requirements for such review.
Proposed law requires BESE to adopt rules for proposed law implementation, provides for
proposed law implementation beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, and is applicable
to all public schools, including charter schools.
Early literacy (kindergarten through third grade)
Present law provides for individual student plans with respect to early literacy for students
in grades kindergarten through three. Proposed law requires each public school governing
authority to ensure that any plan developed in a prior school year is annually reviewed
during the first eight weeks of school and provides specific requirements for such review.
High-dosage tutoring
Present law requires extended academic support for students in kindergarten through fifth
grade, including through high-dosage tutoring. Proposed law authorizes a school board to
provide ongoing coaching support in evidence-based instruction to tutors delivering high-
dosage tutoring.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.10(K); Adds R.S. 17:7.2(A)(11)-(13), 24.14, 100.13(N), and
3996(B)(24); Repeals R.S. 17:24.9(C))
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