Effective - 28 Aug 2002
170.014. Reading instruction act — reading programs established, essential components — explicit systematic phonics defined. — 1. This section shall be known as the "Reading Instruction Act" and is enacted to ensure that all public schools establish reading programs in kindergarten through grade three based in scientific research. Such programs shall include the essential components of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, and all new teachers who teach reading in kindergarten through grade three shall receive adequate training in these areas.
2. The program described in subsection 1 of this section may include "explicit systematic phonics", which, for the purposes of this section, shall mean the methodology of pronouncing and reading words by learning the phonetic sound association of individual letters, letter groups, and syllables, and the principles governing these associations.
3. Every public school in the state shall offer a reading program as described in subsection 1 of this section for kindergarten through grade three.
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(L. 2002 H.B. 1711)
Severability clause, see § 82.293.