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PRINTER'S NO. 714
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 700
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY ROBINSON, HUGHES, COLEMAN, PENNYCUICK, FONTANA,
HAYWOOD, KIM, CULVER, FLYNN, COSTA, J. WARD, STREET, STEFANO
AND SANTARSIERO, APRIL 30, 2025
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, APRIL 30, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in evidence-based reading
instruction, further providing for definitions and for
evidence-based reading instruction curriculum and providing
for reading screening, for reading deficiency and
identification, for school entity duties and reading
intervention plan, for parent notification, for grants to
school entities, for funding and for reporting; and
establishing the Evidence-based Reading Instruction
Restricted Account.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1501-N of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended by adding definitions to read:
Section 1501-N. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
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"Core curriculum." The curriculum for English language arts
that is adopted for tier 1 instruction to all students.
* * *
"Parent." An individual who has legal custody or
guardianship of a student.
* * *
Section 2. Section 1502-N of the act, added October 31, 2024
(P.L.1129, No.135), is amended to read:
Section 1502-N. Evidence-based reading instruction curriculum.
(a) Department duties and expiration.--
(1) The department shall develop a process for a vendor
to submit an evidence-based reading instruction curriculum
for review by the department, in consultation with the
council, for inclusion on the list developed and maintained
under paragraph (2).
(2) By June 1, 2025, the department shall develop and
maintain a list of evidence-based reading instruction
curricula [that meets] for use in school entities. A
curriculum on this list must meet all of the following
requirements:
(i) [The curricula shall be] Be aligned with the
Commonwealth's academic standards and the science of
reading.
(ii) [The curricula shall include] Include a logical
scope and sequence for implementing curriculum that is
systematic and cumulative.
(3) The department shall maintain all of the following
on the department's publicly accessible Internet website:
(i) The current list of curricula under paragraph
(2).
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(ii) The criteria and rubrics used to identify high-
quality curriculum under paragraph (2) and to approve
universal reading screeners under [subsection (b)]
section 1503-N(d)(1). The criteria and rubrics must be
developed in consultation with the council.
(4) The department shall provide a process through which
a school entity can submit an application for additional
curriculum that meets the requirements under paragraph (2)
for inclusion on the list developed and maintained by the
department under paragraph (2).
(5) The department shall establish a reading leadership
council that shall advise the department on the development
and maintenance of the list of reading instruction curricula
[that meets the requirements] required under paragraph (2), a
list of structured literacy professional development training
programs that successfully meet the essential content
requirements in section 1205.8(c)(1), the list of universal
reading screeners and the list of structured literacy
intervention approaches [that meets the requirements under
subsection (b)] required under section 1503-N(d)(1). The
following shall apply:
(i) The council shall have 20 members appointed by
the department who have expertise in structured literacy
and shall include public school elementary school staff,
including the following:
(A) Primary classroom teachers in kindergarten
through third grade.
(B) Reading specialists.
(C) Literacy coaches.
(D) Elementary special education teachers.
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(E) A learning support employee with experience
working with subgroups as defined in the Every
Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114-95, 129 Stat.
1802).
(ii) Membership on the council shall reflect
geographic representation of school districts, including
diversity of district types, including rural, urban and
suburban.
(iii) The council shall meet at least once every two
months at dates and times determined by the department.
Meetings of the council shall be held in accordance with
65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
(iv) In performing its work, the council may consult
with other professionals and nonprofit organizations with
expertise in structured literacy.
(v) The council's final recommendations shall be
published on the department's publicly accessible
Internet website and submitted to [the following:
(A) The Governor.
(B) The State Board of Education.
(C) The President pro tempore of the Senate.
(D) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(E) The chairperson and minority chairperson of
the Education Committee of the Senate.
(F) The chairperson and minority chairperson of
the Education Committee of the House of
Representatives] each of the recipients listed under
section 1509-N(d).
(5.1) By December 1, 2025, the department shall collect
and post on the department's publicly accessible Internet
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website a disaggregated list of school entities that:
(i) have adopted an evidence-based reading
instruction curriculum under paragraph (2);
(ii) are using reading screeners under section 1503-
N(d)(1); or
(iii) are undergoing or have completed a structured
literacy professional development training program under
paragraph (5).
(6) This subsection shall expire [five] ten years from
the effective date of this paragraph.
[(b) List of screeners.--
(1) The department, in consultation with the council,
shall develop, maintain and publish on the department's
publicly accessible Internet website a list of universal
reading screeners and a list of structured literacy
intervention approaches that are aligned with the essential
components of evidence-based reading instruction, including
phonemic awareness, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary
and comprehension. Initial publication of the lists must
occur by June 1, 2025.
(2) In determining which universal reading screeners to
include on the list, the department shall consider the
following factors:
(i) The time required to conduct the screening, with
the intention of minimizing impact on instructional time.
(ii) The timeliness in reporting screening results
to teachers, administrators and parents.
(iii) The integration of assessment and feedback the
screener provides, including the ability to provide
progress monitoring capabilities and a diagnostic tool to
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support teachers or a progress monitoring team with
targeted instruction based on student needs.
(3) The department shall provide professional
development on reading screening and literacy intervention
approaches at no cost to a school entity or an educator. The
professional development shall be provided during the
contractual school day, inclusive of in-service days and
other designated professional development days as provided
for in the school entity's collective bargaining agreement.
If insufficient professional development days are available,
the professional development shall be provided through a
separate agreement between a school entity and an employee
organization at no cost to the school entity or the
educator.]
(c) School entity duties.--
(1) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a school
entity shall:
(i) Approve a professional development training
program for educators providing reading instruction or
coaching from the list created under section 1502-N(a)(5)
that satisfies the requirements under section 1205.8(c).
The professional development shall be provided during the
contractual day, inclusive of in-service days and other
designated professional development days as provided for
in the school entity's collective bargaining agreement.
If insufficient professional development days are
available, the professional development shall be provided
through a separate agreement between a school entity and
an employee organization at no cost to the school entity
or the educator. An educator must complete approved
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professional development training no later than the
beginning of the 2028-2029 school year.
(ii) Ensure students in kindergarten through grade
three who are identified for reading deficiencies are
provided intervention plans that comply with the
provisions of sections 1503-N and 1504-N.
(2) No later than the 2030-2031 school year, each school
entity shall adopt an evidence-based reading instruction
curriculum and shall identify an educator responsible for
assisting in each school with the implementation of the
adopted curriculum. A school entity that adopts or renews
reading instruction curriculum after the effective date of
this paragraph shall adopt an evidence-based reading
instruction curriculum.
Section 3. The act is amended by adding sections to read:
Section 1503-N. Reading screening.
(a) Duty.--Beginning July 1, 2026, a school entity shall
screen each student enrolled in kindergarten through grade three
for reading competency three times each school year, once at the
beginning of the school year, once during the middle of the
school year and once at the end of the school year. In
conducting the screening, the school entity shall use a
universal reading screener chosen from the list of approved
universal reading screeners under subsection (d).
(b) Time and coverage.--A school entity shall provide
educators time during the contractual school day to complete
data entry and compilation associated with the screener to
communicate with families and carry out any other responsibility
required under this section. Nothing in this article shall be
construed to supersede or preempt the rights, remedies and
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procedures afforded to school employees or labor organizations
under Federal or State law or any provision of a collective
bargaining agreement negotiated between a school employer and an
exclusive representative of the employees in accordance with the
act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the Public
Employe Relations Act.
(c) Exception.--Students with limited English proficiency,
students with disabilities and gifted students are subject to
the requirements of this section except if the assessment would
conflict with the educational program, plan or service agreement
provided in accordance with Federal or State law and regulation.
(d) List of screeners.--
(1) The department, in consultation with the council,
shall develop, maintain and publish on the department's
publicly accessible Internet website a list of universal
reading screeners and a list of structured literacy
intervention approaches that are aligned with the essential
components of evidence-based reading instruction, including
phonemic awareness, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary
and comprehension. Initial publication of the lists must
occur by June 1, 2025.
(2) In determining which universal reading screeners to
include on the list, the department shall consider the
following factors:
(i) The time required to conduct the screening, with
the intention of minimizing impact on instructional time.
(ii) The timeliness in reporting screening results
to teachers, administrators and parents.
(iii) The integration of assessment and feedback the
screener provides, including the ability to provide
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progress monitoring capabilities and a diagnostic tool to
support teachers or a progress monitoring team with
targeted instruction based on student needs.
(3) The department shall provide professional
development on reading screening and literacy intervention
approaches at no cost to a school entity or an educator. The
professional development shall be provided during the
contractual day, inclusive of in-service days and other
designated professional development days as provided for in
the school entity's collective bargaining agreement. If
insufficient professional development days are available, the
professional development shall be provided through a separate
agreement between a school entity and an employee
organization at no cost to the school entity or the educator.
Section 1504-N. Reading deficiency and identification.
(a) Student.--A student in kindergarten through grade three
shall be identified as having a reading deficiency if an
approved universal reading screener administered under section
1503-N identifies the student at risk for reading failure.
(b) Reading deficiency.--A student who is identified as
having a reading deficiency under this section shall remain
identified as having a reading deficiency until the student
performs at or above an identified threshold level using at
least three data points, which may include results on a
universal reading screener, the educator's professional judgment
on a student's performance, progress monitoring outcomes,
diagnostic assessments, benchmark assessments and formative or
summative assessments.
(c) Construction.--Nothing under this article shall prohibit
a school entity from identifying a student in another grade
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level as being in need of reading interventions.
Section 1505-N. School entity duties and reading intervention
plan.
(a) School entity.--A school entity shall offer a reading
intervention plan to each student in kindergarten through grade
three who is identified as having a reading deficiency under
section 1504-N with the goal of ensuring that the student can
read at or above grade level by the end of grade three.
(b) Development.--The reading intervention plan shall be
developed by an educator.
(c) Plan.--The reading intervention plan shall, at a
minimum, include reading intervention approaches and be provided
in addition to what is provided to each student in the general
education classroom and evidence-based reading instruction
curriculum.
Section 1506-N. Parent notification.
The following shall apply:
(1) Each parent of a kindergarten student who exhibits a
deficiency in reading in the third screening at the end of
the school year must be notified in writing or by electronic
communication.
(2) Each parent of a student in grades one through three
who exhibits a deficiency in reading during the school year
must be notified in writing or by electronic communication
after the identification of the reading deficiency, including
periodic updates three times per year regarding the student's
progress.
Section 1507-N. Grants to school entities.
(a) Establishment.--The department shall establish a grant
program to aid school entities with initial costs associated
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with training and other resources necessary to implement this
article. School entities that have satisfied the requirements
under section 1502-N(c) by adopting programs and curricula from
lists created under section 1502-N(a)(5) shall be eligible for
grant funding. The total amount of grants awarded shall be
limited to funds appropriated for this purpose under section
1508-N.
(b) Application.--The department shall develop an
application form that school entities shall use to apply for a
grant under the program. Grant applications shall be submitted
in accordance with guidelines developed by the department.
Section 1508-N. Funding.
(a) Restricted account.--The Evidence-based Reading
Instruction Restricted Account is established as a restricted
account within the General Fund.
(b) Use.--The department shall use the money in the
Evidence-based Reading Instruction Restricted Account to award
grants to school entities in accordance with section 1507-N.
(c) Funding.--Money in the restricted account shall remain
in the account and shall only be used for the purposes stated in
this article. The account shall be funded from:
(1) Appropriations from the General Assembly.
(2) Funds from the Federal Government.
(3) Funding from other public and private sources.
Section 1509-N. Reporting.
(a) School entity report.--Beginning October 31, 2026, and
each October 31 thereafter, each school entity shall report
annually to the department the following:
(1) The number and percentage of students, disaggregated
by grade and by individual school, identified with a
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potential reading deficiency at the beginning of the school
year pursuant to the first screening of the school year
required under section 1503-N and the literacy intervention
approaches being provided.
(2) The number and percentage of students, disaggregated
by grade and by individual school, identified with a
potential reading deficiency at the end of the school year
pursuant to the final screening of the school year required
under section 1503-N.
(3) The number of students, disaggregated by grade and
by individual school, excepted from the assessment under
section 1503-N(c).
(4) The evidence-based reading instruction curricula
adopted by each school entity under this article.
(5) The number of educators in the school entity who
have received professional development under section 1502-
N(c)(1)(i) and the type of professional development received.
(b) Department report.--Beginning December 31, 2026, and
each December 31 thereafter, the department shall produce an
annual report that provides the information reported to the
department under subsection (a).
(c) Report data.--Data included in the report shall be de-
identified and comply with the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 90-247, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g).
(d) Recipients.--The department shall publish the report
required under this section on the department's publicly
accessible Internet website and submit the report to each of the
following:
(1) The Governor.
(2) The State Board of Education.
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(3) The President pro tempore of the Senate.
(4) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(5) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Education Committee of the Senate.
(6) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Education Committee of the House of Representatives.
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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