71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
{ + braces and plus signs + } .
LC 4123
A-Engrossed
House Bill 3941
Ordered by the House May 14
Including House Amendments dated May 14
Sponsored by Representative KRUSE
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
Creates Early Success Reading Initiative. Directs University of
Oregon to develop, implement and monitor initiative. Specifies
components of initiative. { + Requires Department of Education
to award grants to 30 specified school districts for pilot
project to establish early success reading sites in individual
schools. + }
Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Department of Higher
Education for initiative { + and to Department of Education for
grants to school districts + }.
Declares emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to reading; appropriating money; and declaring an
emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. { + The Legislative Assembly finds that:
(1) Reading is the gateway to learning and a key to building a
child's self-esteem.
(2) Children who read below grade level after third grade are
at significantly greater risk of truancy, school failure,
criminal and at-risk behaviors, early pregnancy and substance
abuse.
(3) Research shows that children who have academic problems and
exhibit at-risk behavior can be helped most effectively through
prevention programs designed specifically to strengthen the
collaborative and collective decision-making skills of
kindergarten through grade three teachers and administrators
within each individual school.
(4) Scientifically based assessment methods can identify as
early as kindergarten those children needing extra help to
successfully learn to read.
(5) Scientifically based instructional reading materials can
provide the reading skills children need to successfully learn to
read. + }
SECTION 2. { + (1) There is created the Early Success Reading
Initiative for the State of Oregon.
(2) The purpose of the initiative is to recognize the essential
need of elementary schools to effectively use research-based
teaching practices and learning strategies.
(3) The components of the Early Success Reading Initiative
include, but are not limited to:
(a) Providing research-based assessment systems to
administrators, teachers and the public in order to provide the
decision-making and accountability information needed to monitor
children's progress as they learn to read.
(b) Screening and continuously monitoring the reading progress
of all children from kindergarten through the completion of the
third grade.
(c) Using scientific, research-based reading systems to create
school cultures and processes that enable all children to read
successfully, including children with disabilities and children
with linguistic and cultural diversity and other learning needs.
(d) Enabling administrators and teachers within each individual
school to collect, interpret and use student learning data to:
(A) Guide kindergarten through grade three teachers and
administrators in instructional decisions;
(B) Implement a kindergarten through grade three schoolwide
reading action plan;
(C) Provide strategies for student groups; and
(D) Provide structured interaction with parents.
(e) Establishing a relationship between school districts and
the University of Oregon to provide instructional and research
support to assist school administrators, teachers and parents to
enable students in kindergarten through grade three to learn to
read effectively and successfully through means that are in
congruence with state standards for reading and common curriculum
goals.
(4) The University of Oregon shall design, implement and
monitor the Early Success Reading Initiative. The University of
Oregon shall provide consultation services to school districts
that establish early success reading sites.
(5) The goal of the initiative is to enable each school
district to establish early success reading sites at individual
elementary schools. An elementary school that is initially
selected as an early success reading site shall serve as a model
and as a resource to other elementary schools within its school
district as those schools implement the initiative.
(6) The University of Oregon may seek grants and private funds
to support the Early Success Reading Initiative. + }
SECTION 3. { + The University of Oregon shall report annually
on the implementation, longitudinal progress and results of the
Early Success Reading Initiative to the Governor, the
Superintendent of Public Instruction and the appropriate
legislative committees. + }
SECTION 4. { + During the 2001-2003 and 2003-2005 biennia, the
University of Oregon shall include in the reports required by
section 3 of this 2001 Act a review of the pilot project created
pursuant to section 5 of this 2001 Act. + }
SECTION 5. { + (1) During the 2001-2003 and 2003-2005 biennia,
as part of the Early Success Reading Initiative, the Department
of Education shall award grants to school districts for a pilot
project to establish early success reading sites in individual
schools as provided under section 2 of this 2001 Act.
(2) The grants shall be awarded to the 30 school districts with
the lowest scores on the statewide assessment in reading
administered to third grade students during the 2000-2001 school
year. Each school district that receives a grant shall use the
grant to establish one early success reading site at an
elementary school in the district.
(3) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary
for the implementation of this section. + }
SECTION 6. { + In addition to and not in lieu of any other
appropriation, there is appropriated to the Department of Higher
Education for the University of Oregon, for the biennium
beginning July 1, 2001, out of the General Fund, the amount of
$230,000, which may be expended for the Early Success Reading
Initiative. + }
SECTION 7. { + In addition to and not in lieu of any other
appropriation, there is appropriated to the Department of
Education, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2001, out of the
General Fund, the amount of $270,000, which may be expended for
grants to school districts for the Early Success Reading
Initiative pilot project. + }
SECTION 8. { + This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect on its
passage. + }
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