(a) Each school district shall offer intensive reading intervention services to students in grades kindergarten through three who exhibit a reading deficiency to assist students in achieving reading proficiency at or above grade level by the end of grade three. The district shall provide the intensive reading intervention services in addition to the core reading instruction that is provided to all students in the general education classroom. The intensive reading intervention services must, to the extent practicable,

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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 14.30.765

  • board: means the state Board of Education and Early Development. See Alaska Statutes 14.60.010
  • culturally responsive: means showing respect for and recognition of the traditions, beliefs, languages, values, and practices of the local culture that has historically been present in the geographic area being served. See Alaska Statutes 14.60.010 v2
  • department: means the Department of Education and Early Development. See Alaska Statutes 14.60.010
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • guardian: includes a natural, adoptive, and foster parent, stepparent, legal guardian, relative, and other adult person with whom a student has resided and who has acted as a parent in providing for the student or has been responsible for the student's welfare for a continuous period. See Alaska Statutes 14.60.010 v2
  • person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • writing: includes printing. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
(1) be provided by a district reading teacher, or paraprofessional under the supervision of a reading teacher, to all students in grades kindergarten through three who are determined to have a reading deficiency based on the statewide screening tool adopted under Alaska Stat. § 14.30.760(a)(1);
(2) provide explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, oral language skills, and reading comprehension, as necessary;
(3) use evidence-based reading intervention methods that have shown proven results in accelerating student reading achievement within a single school year;
(4) include instruction with detailed explanations, extensive opportunities for guided practice, and opportunities for error correction and feedback;
(5) incorporate daily targeted small group reading instruction based on student needs, either in person or online;
(6) monitor the reading progress of each student’s reading skills throughout the school year and adjust instruction according to student needs;
(7) be implemented during regular school hours through any available method, including in person or through online delivery by teachers or specialty reading coaches;
(8) be implemented outside of regular school hours, as directed in the student’s individual reading improvement plan under (b) of this section, for a student who scores at the lowest achievement level on the statewide screening tool;
(9) be reviewed based on a department-approved response to intervention or multi-tiered system support models, addressing additional support and services needed to remedy identified needs; and
(10) support reading intervention at home by parents or guardians by offering a list of adult literacy resources and organizations, providing opportunities for parent or guardian participation in training workshops, and encouraging regular parent or guardian-guided home reading activities.
(b) In addition to the reading intervention services provided under (a) of this section, a school district shall provide an individual reading improvement plan for each student in grades kindergarten through three who is determined to have a reading deficiency based on the statewide screening tool. An individual reading improvement plan developed under this section must

(1) be implemented not later than 30 days after identification of the reading deficiency;
(2) be created by the student’s reading teacher in consultation with the school principal, the student’s parent or guardian, and other pertinent district staff;
(3) describe the evidence-based reading intervention services the student will receive to achieve and demonstrate sufficient reading skills;
(4) provide reading intervention services outside of regular school hours for a student who scores at the lowest achievement level on the statewide screening tool consistent with (a)(8) of this section;
(5) include a process for monitoring progress and adjusting the plan based on student needs;
(6) provide to the student’s parent or guardian at least 10 reading progress updates each school year;
(7) be culturally responsive; and
(8) support the student reading at home with a parent or guardian by offering a list of adult literacy resources and organizations, providing opportunities for parent or guardian participation in training workshops, and encouraging regular parent or guardian-guided home reading activities.
(c) If at any time during the school year a student in grades kindergarten through three demonstrates a reading deficiency, the district or school shall notify the student’s parent or guardian. The initial notification must

(1) be provided to the student’s parent or guardian not later than 15 days after identification of the reading deficiency;
(2) state that the district identified the student as having a reading deficiency and that a reading improvement plan will be developed under (b) of this section;
(3) describe current services that the district is providing to the student;
(4) describe the proposed evidence-based reading intervention and supplemental instructional services and supports that the district will provide to the student to improve the identified area of reading deficiency;
(5) explain that the district or school will inform the parent or guardian orally or in writing, as selected by the parent or guardian, of the student’s progress toward grade level reading as outlined in the student’s individual reading improvement plan;
(6) identify strategies for the parent or guardian to use at home to help the student succeed in reading;
(7) explain that if the student has a reading deficiency at the end of the school year and is in grades kindergarten through two, the student’s progression may be delayed unless the student has previously not progressed to the next grade;
(8) explain that a student in grade three should demonstrate sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four under (e) of this section, unless the student receives a waiver under (f) of this section or has previously not progressed to the next grade;
(9) explain the process and deadline to request a waiver under (f) of this section; and
(10) identify mid-year progression as an option for students who do not progress to the next grade.
(d) If it is determined, based on a statewide screening administered in the spring, that a student in grades kindergarten through two has a reading deficiency, the student’s teacher and other pertinent district staff shall notify and attempt to meet with the student’s parent or guardian to explain that the student will not be able to maintain adequate academic progress at the next grade level. School staff shall work with the parent or guardian to schedule a date, time, and place for the meeting, to be held not later than 45 days before the end of the school year. Following that meeting, the parent or guardian shall determine whether the student will progress to the next grade. If no parent or guardian attends the meeting or if the parent or guardian does not determine whether the student will progress to the next grade, the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall, after considering the student’s best interest and whether the student has previously not progressed to the next grade, determine whether the student will progress to the next grade.
(e) A student in grade three should demonstrate sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four. A student demonstrates sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four by

(1) scoring at grade level or higher on the statewide screening tool or on the statewide summative assessment;
(2) achieving an acceptable score on an alternative standardized reading screening as determined and approved by the department; or
(3) demonstrating mastery of reading standards through a student reading portfolio based on criteria established by the department.
(f) If it is determined, based on a statewide screening administered in the spring, that a student in grade three has a reading deficiency, and the student does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four under (e) of this section, the student’s teacher and other pertinent district staff shall notify and attempt to meet with the student’s parent or guardian to explain that the student is not prepared to progress to grade four. School staff shall work with the parent or guardian to schedule a date, time, and place for the meeting, to be held not later than 45 days before the end of the school year. Following that meeting, the parent or guardian may decide that the student will not progress to grade four or decide to progress the student to grade four by signing a waiver developed by the department acknowledging that the student is not prepared and agreeing that the student will participate in an additional 20 hours of individual reading improvement plan intervention services during the summer before the student enters grade four. If no parent or guardian attends the meeting or if the parent or guardian does not determine whether the student will progress to the next grade, the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall, after considering the student’s best interests and whether the student has previously not progressed to the next grade, determine whether the student will progress to grade four.
(g) A superintendent or superintendent’s designee may exempt a student from delayed progression when progression is in the student’s best interests. When determining if progression is in a student’s best interests, the superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall consider whether

(1) the student has received intensive reading intervention services for two or more years and still demonstrates a reading deficiency;
(2) the student’s primary language is a language other than English; and
(3) the student has a disability and has an individualized education plan under Alaska Stat. § 14.30.278 or a plan under 29 U.S.C. § 794.
(h) If no parent or guardian attends the meeting, and a superintendent or superintendent’s designee decides that a student in grades kindergarten through three will not progress to the next grade under (d) or (f) of this section, the district or school in which the student is enrolled shall provide immediate oral and written notification to the student’s parent or guardian. The written notification must explain that the parent or guardian may reschedule the meeting provided under (d) or (f) of this section and that during a meeting

(1) for a student in grades kindergarten through two, the parent or guardian may decide to progress the student; and
(2) for a student in grade three, the parent or guardian may decide to progress the student to grade four by signing a waiver under (f) of this section.
(i) For a student who does not progress to the next grade under (d) or (f) of this section, or who progresses to the next grade with a waiver under (f) of this section, the district in which the student is enrolled shall

(1) review the student’s individual reading improvement plan;
(2) provide intensive reading intervention services to improve the area of reading deficiency using effective instructional strategies to accelerate student progress;
(3) provide additional services and support to improve the student’s identified area of reading deficiency, including

(A) a transitional instructional setting that is designed to produce learning gains;
(B) supplemental tutoring offered by a person with specialized reading training;
(C) an increase in time dedicated to the reading instruction methods described in (a)(3) – (5) of this section, including more extensive opportunities for guided practice and error correction and feedback;
(4) develop a plan for reading at home outlined in an agreement with the student’s parent or guardian, including parent or guardian participation in training workshops and regular parent or guardian-guided home reading activities.
(j) For a student who does not progress to grade one, grade two, or grade three under (d) of this section, the district in which the student is enrolled shall, upon request by the student’s parent or guardian, develop a plan for the student’s mid-year progression.
(k) A school district shall adopt a policy providing for mid-year progression of a student who does not progress to grade four under (f) of this section if the student

(1) demonstrates sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four on the fall or winter statewide screening; and
(2) meets additional requirements determined by the district, including satisfactory achievement in other subject areas.
(l) A district shall, for the remainder of the academic year, and, if necessary, for additional school years, continue to implement an individual reading improvement plan for a student promoted mid-year under (j) or (k) of this section.
(m) Unless a parent or guardian decides that a student will not progress to the next grade under (d) or (f) of this section, a district or school may not delay the student’s progression under this section if the student previously did not progress to the next grade.
(n) In this section, “reading teacher” means a teacher who

(1) holds a valid teacher certificate under Alaska Stat. Chapter 14.20;
(2) has demonstrated effectiveness in instructing students to read at or above grade level as measured by student reading performance data and in teacher performance evaluations; and
(3) meets the requirements established by the state Board of Education and Early Development in regulation.
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