(a) The Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, established pursuant to section 10-14gg, shall compile a list of reading assessments, with consideration given to the recommendations set forth in appendix g of the final report of the task force established pursuant to special act 19-8, for use by local and regional boards of education, in accordance with the guidance provided pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, for the school year commencing July 1, 2023, and each school year thereafter, to identify students in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, who are below proficiency in reading, provided any such reading assessments include frequent screening and progress monitoring of students. Such reading assessments shall (1) be brief, (2) be evidence-based, as defined in 20 USC 7801(21), with proven psychometrics for validity, (3) measure oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, rapid automatic name or letter name fluency and reading comprehension, (4) provide opportunities for formative assessments at least three times, in the fall, winter and spring, during each school year, (5) produce data that is useful for informing individual and classroom instruction, including the grouping of students based on such data and the selection of instructional activities based on data of individual student response patterns during such progress monitoring, (6) be compatible with best practices in reading instruction and research, and (7) assist in identifying, in whole or in part, students at risk for dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d, or other reading-related learning disabilities.

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(b) On or before January 1, 2023, the department shall provide guidance to local and regional boards of education for administering the approved reading assessments, including, but not limited to, (1) specifying the appropriate grade levels for each reading assessment; (2) allowing approved reading assessments to be combined to ensure each ability specified in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section is measured during each school year using one or more reading assessments appropriate for a student’s grade level; (3) advising how each board’s goals, student body characteristics and resources should inform the choice of reading assessments used by such board; (4) advising how aggregate data derived from reading assessments should guide each board’s prevention and early intervention initiatives; and (5) requiring the administration of approved reading assessments in both English and a student’s native language, if available, for any student being instructed in literacy in his or her native language.

(c) Not later than February 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Education shall submit the reading assessments and guidance developed or approved under this section to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(d) The Department of Education may, in partnership with a public institution of higher education, establish a data center to guide the department and local and regional boards of education in the use and effectiveness of reading assessments. Such data center may include, but need not be limited to, tracking (1) which reading assessments are used by each regional or local board of education, and (2) student information, disaggregated by categories including, but not limited to, a student’s demographic background, school district, reading assessment dates and scores on reading assessments, provided such disaggregation keeps such student information personally nonidentifiable.