(1) "Board" means the State Board of Education.

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(2) "Department" means the State Department of Education.

(3) "Discipline-specific literacy" means the ability to read, write, listen, and speak across various disciplines and content areas including, but not limited to, English/language arts, science, mathematics, social studies, physical education, health, the arts, and career and technology education.

(4) "Readiness assessment" means assessments used to analyze students’ literacy, mathematical, physical, social, and emotional-behavioral competencies in prekindergarten or kindergarten.

(5) "Reading interventions" means individual or group assistance in the classroom and supplemental support based on curricular and instructional decisions made by classroom teachers who have proven effectiveness in teaching reading and an add-on literacy endorsement or reading/literacy coaches who meet the minimum qualifications established in guidelines published by the Department of Education.

(6) "Reading portfolio" means an organized collection of evidence and assessments documenting that the student has demonstrated mastery of the state standards in reading equal to at least a level above the lowest achievement level on the state reading assessment.

(7) "Reading proficiency" means the ability of students to meet state reading standards in kindergarten through grade twelve, demonstrated by readiness, formative, or summative assessments.

(8) "Reading proficiency skills" means the ability to understand how written language works at the word, sentence, paragraph, and text level and mastery of the skills, strategies, and oral and written language needed to comprehend grade-level texts.

(9) "Research-based formative assessment" means assessments used within the school year to analyze strengths and weaknesses in reading comprehension of students individually to adapt instruction to meet student needs, make decisions about appropriate intervention services, and inform placement and instructional planning for the next grade level.

(10) "Substantially fails to demonstrate third-grade reading proficiency" means a student who does not demonstrate reading proficiency at the end of the third grade as indicated by scoring at the lowest achievement level on the statewide summative reading assessment that equates to Not Met 1 on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS).

(11) "Summative assessment" means state-approved assessments administered in grades three through eight and any statewide assessment used in grades nine through twelve to determine student mastery of grade-level or content standards.

(12) "Summer reading camp" means an educational program offered in the summer by each local school district or consortia of school districts for students who are unable to comprehend grade-level texts and who qualify for mandatory retention.

(13) "Third-grade reading proficiency" means the ability to read grade-level texts by the end of a student’s third grade year as demonstrated by the results of state-approved assessments administered to third grade students, or through other assessments as noted in this chapter and adopted by the board.

(14) "Writing proficiency skills" means the ability to communicate information, analysis, and persuasive points of view effectively in writing.