A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning targeted measures to encourage early
Page 1, Line 102elementary academic success, and, in connection
Page 1, Line 103therewith, updating methods for assessing certain
Page 1, Line 104skills, identifying struggling readers, and supporting
Page 1, Line 105students with dyslexia.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Current law requires a local education provider that offers a kindergarten program to administer a school readiness assessment to kindergarten students within the first 60 days of the school year. The bill makes administration of a school readiness assessment optional and permits rather than requires a local education provider to create and implement an individualized readiness plan for its preschool and kindergarten students.
The bill clarifies that a teacher may conclude that an early elementary school student has a significant reading deficiency that requires remediation through a specialized approach to instruction (READ plan) based on a body of evidence that includes information in addition to the student's scores on a reading assessment.
Current law requires certain parental communications in connection with a student's READ plan. The bill adds specific information regarding characteristics of dyslexia, if applicable, to the parental communications.
Beginning no later than the 2025-26 school year, a local education provider must either develop its own process for identifying early elementary school students with characteristics of dyslexia or adopt a dyslexia screening tool that conforms to certain new requirements for interim reading assessments. To meet the bill's new requirements, interim reading assessments must accurately and reliably identify students at risk of reading difficulties, meet standards for validity and reliability, encourage data-driven instructional decision making, and promote efficient administration and effective follow-up.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) Early identification and targeted intervention for students
Page 2, Line 4showing signs of dyslexia are vital to ensure academic success and
Page 2, Line 5prevent the long-term consequences of poor reading skills. Dyslexia,
Page 2, Line 6which affects approximately one in 5 individuals, according to data from
Page 2, Line 7the Yale center for dyslexia and creativity, is among the most common
Page 2, Line 8learning disabilities. Without strategic, evidence-based support, students
Page 2, Line 9with dyslexic traits often fall behind, hindering their academic growth,
Page 2, Line 10limiting future employment prospects, and increasing the risk of negative
Page 2, Line 11socioeconomic outcomes.
Page 3, Line 1(b) While the "Colorado READ Act" has improved early literacy
Page 3, Line 2assessment statewide, persistent gaps remain in pinpointing and assisting
Page 3, Line 3students who exhibit specific deficits in phonemic awareness, word
Page 3, Line 4decoding, and spelling. Many children pass overall literacy tests, yet harbor hidden reading struggles that compound over time.
Page 3, Line 5(c) Pursuant to section 22-7-1205, Colorado Revised Statutes,
Page 3, Line 6local education providers currently rely on state board-approved interim
Page 3, Line 7reading assessments to identify students with significant reading
Page 3, Line 8deficiencies. Approved assessments yield a composite test score that may mask deficits in key sub-skills.
Page 3, Line 9(d) In contrast, universal dyslexia screening pinpoints precisely
Page 3, Line 10where a learner may struggle. Screeners measure reading competency
Page 3, Line 11skills such as phonological awareness, sound-symbol knowledge, rapid
Page 3, Line 12naming, word decoding, and encoding, reflecting proven best practices.
Page 3, Line 13Requiring each local education provider to adopt or create a plan for
Page 3, Line 14dyslexia screening in kindergarten through third grade helps ensure that
Page 3, Line 15every child, especially those at the most risk, receives timely, targeted help.
Page 3, Line 16(e) While the Colorado department of education regularly updates
Page 3, Line 17its approved reading assessments, requiring future evaluations to include
Page 3, Line 18rigorous standards for identifying students with dyslexic traits promotes validity and consistency over time.
Page 3, Line 19(f) Because strong family engagement is critical to reading
Page 3, Line 20intervention success, schools must also inform parents and guardians if
Page 3, Line 21screening results suggest dyslexia risk factors, provide a clear explanation
Page 3, Line 22of findings, and propose practical ways to support reading progress at
Page 3, Line 23home. These steps mirror successful protocols in other states in which
Page 4, Line 1early, transparent collaboration between educators and families has
Page 4, Line 2significantly improved outcomes. Although teachers do not formally
Page 4, Line 3diagnose dyslexia, they can detect when specialized support is warranted, helping avert a cycle of frustration and academic decline.
Page 4, Line 4(g) Finally, making kindergarten school readiness assessments
Page 4, Line 5optional allows local education providers greater flexibility in focusing on essential literacy measures.
Page 4, Line 6(2) The general assembly finds, therefore, that to support the
Page 4, Line 7mission of the "Colorado READ Act", it is essential to highlight dyslexia
Page 4, Line 8risk factors early, offer data-driven remediation, and engage families as
Page 4, Line 9partners, ensuring every Colorado child can read proficiently and achieve success in school and beyond.
Page 4, Line 10SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1014, amend (1)(a), (1)(b), and (2)(a) as follows:
Page 4, Line 1122-7-1014. Preschool individualized readiness plans - school
Page 4, Line 12readiness - assessments. (1) (a) Beginning in the fall semester
of 2013,Page 4, Line 13
eachPage 4, Line 14kindergarten program
shall ensure that eachPage 4, Line 15for a student enrolled in a preschool or kindergarten program operated
Page 4, Line 16by the local education provider
receivesPage 4, Line 17that addresses the preschool standards or kindergarten standards, as
Page 4, Line 18appropriate, and knowledge and skill areas in which a student needs
Page 4, Line 19assistance to make progress toward school readiness. If a student is
Page 4, Line 20identified as having a significant reading deficiency as provided in section
Page 4, Line 2122-7-1205, the local education provider shall include the student's READ
Page 4, Line 22plan created pursuant to section 22-7-1206 as a component of the
Page 4, Line 23student's individualized readiness plan if the local education
Page 5, Line 1provider has created an individualized readiness plan for the student.
Page 5, Line 2(b)
In creating and implementingPage 5, Line 3provider creates and implements the individualized readiness plans,
Page 5, Line 4a local education provider shall use assessment instruments that are
Page 5, Line 5research-based, valid, and reliable to facilitate the systematic
Page 5, Line 6measurement of a student's increasing knowledge, skills, and
Page 5, Line 7accomplishments within the classroom context. The purpose of the
Page 5, Line 8continuing assessments
shall beteachers'Page 5, Line 9practice within the classroom with
eachPage 5, Line 10
each students'Page 5, Line 11(2) (a) Beginning with students who enter kindergarten in the fall
Page 5, Line 12semester of 2013, each local education provider shall ensure that each
Page 5, Line 13student enrolled in a kindergarten program operated by the local
Page 5, Line 14education provider progresses toward demonstrating school readiness.
Page 5, Line 15
EachshallPage 5, Line 16readiness assessment within the first sixty days of the school year to
eachPage 5, Line 17a student enrolled in a kindergarten program operated by the local
Page 5, Line 18education provider to measure
eachPage 5, Line 19If the local education provider administers a reading assessment pursuant
Page 5, Line 20to section 22-7-1205 (1)(a.5) within the first sixty days of the school year
Page 5, Line 21to students enrolled in the kindergarten program, the local education
Page 5, Line 22provider is not required to administer the literacy component of the school
Page 5, Line 23readiness assessment. The local education provider may choose to
Page 5, Line 24monitor a student's progress toward demonstrating school readiness by
Page 5, Line 25administering an approved school readiness assessment multiple times over the course of the school year.
Page 6, Line 1SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1019, amend (3)(a)(I) as follows:
Page 6, Line 222-7-1019. Preschool to postsecondary and workforce
Page 6, Line 3readiness - progress reports - effectiveness reports. (3) (a) At a
Page 6, Line 4minimum, the report shall include the following information for the preceding academic year:
Page 6, Line 5(I) The levels of school readiness demonstrated by students
Page 6, Line 6enrolled in kindergarten, if a school readiness assessment was administered;
Page 6, Line 7SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1203, amend
Page 6, Line 8(1); and add (1.5), (3.5), (3.7), (7.6), (7.7), (9.5), (9.7), (9.9), (10.5), (10.6), (18), and (19) as follows:
Page 6, Line 922-7-1203. Definitions. As used in this part 12, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 6, Line 10(1) "Body of evidence" means a collection of information about
Page 6, Line 11a student's academic performance which, when considered in its entirety,
Page 6, Line 12documents the level of a student's academic performance. A body of
Page 6, Line 13evidence, at a minimum,
shallPage 6, Line 14interim assessments and work that a student independently produces in a
Page 6, Line 15classroom, including, but not limited to,
thePage 6, Line 16assessments adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1004 (2)(a) that a local
Page 6, Line 17education provider may administer. A body of evidence may include
Page 6, Line 18scores on summative assessments if a local education provider decides
Page 6, Line 19that summative assessments are appropriate and useful in measuring
Page 6, Line 20students' literacy skills. For the purposes of identifying students
Page 6, Line 21with significant reading deficiencies, "body of evidence" may
Page 7, Line 1include the additional elements identified in section 22-7-1205(1)(b)(II).
Page 7, Line 2(1.5) "Characteristics of dyslexia" means commonly
Page 7, Line 3accepted features of dyslexia, including difficulty with
Page 7, Line 4phonological processing, lack of oral reading fluency, difficulty with spelling, and difficulty with rapid naming.
Page 7, Line 5(3.5) "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that
Page 7, Line 6is neurobiological in origin and characterized by difficulties
Page 7, Line 7with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling
Page 7, Line 8and word-decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result
Page 7, Line 9from a deficit in the phonological component of language that
Page 7, Line 10is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and
Page 7, Line 11the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary
Page 7, Line 12consequences of dyslexia may include problems in reading
Page 7, Line 13comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
Page 7, Line 14(3.7) "Encoding" means the process of translating spoken
Page 7, Line 15sounds into written letters that reflects an understanding of sound-symbol relationships and conventional spelling patterns.
Page 7, Line 16(7.6) "Oral reading fluency" means the ability to read
Page 7, Line 17text orally with accuracy, expression, and at an appropriate rate in order to facilitate reading comprehension.
Page 7, Line 18(7.7) "Oral skills" means aptitude with expressive and
Page 7, Line 19receptive oral language, including vocabulary, syntax,
Page 7, Line 20language comprehension, oral reading fluency, and comprehension.
Page 7, Line 21(9.5) "Phonemic awareness" means the ability to segment a word into the word's component sounds, or phonemes.
Page 8, Line 1(9.7) "Phonics" means explicit and systematic instruction
Page 8, Line 2in sound-symbol recognition that teaches the relationships
Page 8, Line 3between the letters and letter patterns of written language
Page 8, Line 4and the individual sounds of spoken language. Phonics
Page 8, Line 5instruction includes the development of alphabetic knowledge,
Page 8, Line 6word-decoding skills, and encoding skills, supporting accurate and automatic word recognition and oral reading fluency.
Page 8, Line 7(9.9) "Phonological processing" means the ability to
Page 8, Line 8recognize and manipulate a word's component sounds through
Page 8, Line 9phonological awareness, phonological memory, and phonological retrieval or rapid naming.
Page 8, Line 10(10.5) "Reading competency skill" means a student meets
Page 8, Line 11the student's grade level expectations in reading skills as adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1209 (1)(a).
Page 8, Line 12(10.6) "Reading comprehension" means the ability to understand and interpret written language.
Page 8, Line 13(18) "Vocabulary development" means the process of learning new words and their meanings.
Page 8, Line 14(19) "Word decoding" means the ability to accurately and
Page 8, Line 15efficiently translate written letters and letter patterns into
Page 8, Line 16their corresponding sounds in spoken language, using knowledge of sound-symbol relationships.
Page 8, Line 17SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1205, amend (1)(b), (2)(b)(II), (2)(b)(IV), and (2)(b)(V) as follows:
Page 8, Line 1822-7-1205. Reading competency - assessments - READ plan
Page 8, Line 19creation - parental involvement. (1) (b) (I) If a teacher finds, based on
Page 9, Line 1a student's scores on the approved reading assessments, that the student
Page 9, Line 2may have a significant reading deficiency, the teacher shall administer to
Page 9, Line 3the student one or more diagnostic assessments within sixty days after the
Page 9, Line 4previous assessment to determine the student's specific reading skill
Page 9, Line 5deficiencies. Each local education provider shall select from the list of
Page 9, Line 6approved assessments adopted by rule of the state board pursuant to
Page 9, Line 7section 22-7-1209 (1) those assessments it uses to determine a student's
Page 9, Line 8specific reading skill deficiencies. A local education provider may choose
Page 9, Line 9to use other diagnostic reading assessments in addition to but not in lieu of the approved assessments.
Page 9, Line 10(II) A teacher may conclude that a student has a
Page 9, Line 11significant reading deficiency if the student's body of evidence
Page 9, Line 12supports the conclusion. A student's body of evidence for the
Page 9, Line 13purposes of identifying the student as having a significant reading deficiency may include:
Page 9, Line 14(A) Results from various formal and informal diagnostic
Page 9, Line 15assessments, as developmentally appropriate for the student's
Page 9, Line 16grade level, in the areas of phonological and phonemic
Page 9, Line 17awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge,
Page 9, Line 18word decoding, rapid naming, encoding, and oral reading fluency;
Page 9, Line 19(B) Results from additional diagnostic assessments for
Page 9, Line 20identifying relevant literacy skill weaknesses, as
Page 9, Line 21developmentally appropriate for the student's grade level, that
Page 9, Line 22may include oral language, vocabulary, language comprehension, and reading comprehension;
Page 9, Line 23(C) Direct or indirect observational assessments from
Page 10, Line 1teachers and parents, as available, that may contribute to a
Page 10, Line 2fuller understanding of a student's academic performance or scores;
Page 10, Line 3(D) Relevant student demographic information, English language proficiency, or language spoken at home;
Page 10, Line 4(E) The student's educational and developmental history, including access to preschool education; and
Page 10, Line 5(F) Consideration of potential errors in assessment, including administration and scoring.
Page 10, Line 6(2) (b) The teacher and the other personnel shall communicate and discuss with the parent the following information:
Page 10, Line 7(II) The nature of the student's significant reading deficiency,
Page 10, Line 8including a clear explanation of what the significant reading deficiency
Page 10, Line 9is, whether or not the significant reading deficiency may include
Page 10, Line 10characteristics of dyslexia, and the basis upon which the teacher identified the significant reading deficiency;
Page 10, Line 11(IV) Reading skills are critical to success in school. Under state
Page 10, Line 12law, the student qualifies for and the local education provider is required
Page 10, Line 13to provide targeted, scientifically based or evidence-based interventions
Page 10, Line 14to remediate the student's specific,
diagnosedPage 10, Line 15deficiencies, which interventions are designed to enable the student to
Page 10, Line 16achieve reading competency and attain the skills necessary to achieve the state's academic achievement goals.
Page 10, Line 17(V) The student's READ plan will include targeted, scientifically
Page 10, Line 18based or evidence-based intervention instruction to address and remediate the student's specific,
diagnosedPage 10, Line 19SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1206, amend (4) and (5)(a) as follows:
Page 11, Line 122-7-1206. Reading to ensure academic development (READ)
Page 11, Line 2plan - contents - implementation. (4) If a student enrolled in
Page 11, Line 3kindergarten is identified as having a significant reading deficiency, the
Page 11, Line 4local education provider shall create the student's READ plan as a
Page 11, Line 5component of the student's individualized readiness plan, if an
Page 11, Line 6individualized readiness plan has been created pursuant to section
Page 11, Line 722-7-1014. The local education provider may include components of the
Page 11, Line 8student's individualized readiness plan that apply to teaching literacy as
Page 11, Line 9part of the student's READ plan after the student completes kindergarten,
Page 11, Line 10so long as the local education provider administers an approved reading
Page 11, Line 11assessment to the student in grades one through three as required in
Page 11, Line 12section 22-7-1205 (1) and the student's READ plan meets the requirements specified in subsection (5) of this section.
Page 11, Line 13(5) Each READ plan must include, at a minimum:
Page 11, Line 14(a) The student's specific,
diagnosedPage 11, Line 15deficiencies that need to be remediated in order for the student to attain reading competency;
Page 11, Line 16SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1208, add (9) as follows:
Page 11, Line 1722-7-1208. Local education providers - procedures - plans -
Page 11, Line 18training - rules. (9) (a) By the beginning of the 2026-27 school year, a local education provider shall:
Page 11, Line 19(I) Implement a universal dyslexia screener that meets
Page 11, Line 20the criteria for recommended interim reading assessments required pursuant to section 22-7-1209 (2.5); or
Page 11, Line 21(II) Create a process for identifying students who display
Page 12, Line 1characteristics of dyslexia. A process created pursuant to this
Page 12, Line 2subsection (9)(a)(II) must include, but is not limited, to screening
Page 12, Line 3kindergarten, first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade
Page 12, Line 4students on reading competency skills to identify risk factors
Page 12, Line 5for dyslexia using interim, diagnostic, and various formal and
Page 12, Line 6informal assessments, including rapid automatized naming, as
Page 12, Line 7appropriate for each grade level. Kindergarten risk factors
Page 12, Line 8include, but are not limited to, weaknesses in phonological
Page 12, Line 9awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge,
Page 12, Line 10word decoding, and oral language skills. First-grade risk
Page 12, Line 11factors include, but are not limited to, weaknesses in
Page 12, Line 12phonological awareness, sound-symbol recognition, word
Page 12, Line 13decoding, encoding, and oral reading fluency. Second-grade and
Page 12, Line 14third-grade risk factors include, but are not limited to,
Page 12, Line 15weaknesses in word decoding, encoding, oral reading fluency, and vocabulary skills.
Page 12, Line 16(b) The universal dyslexia screener or process for
Page 12, Line 17identifying students who display characteristics of dyslexia
Page 12, Line 18that is implemented or created pursuant to subsection (9)(a) of
Page 12, Line 19this section must be given to students enrolled in kindergarten
Page 12, Line 20during the last ninety days of the school year and be given to
Page 12, Line 21students enrolled in the first, second, and third grades during the first ninety days of the school year.
Page 12, Line 22(c) If the universal dyslexia screener or process for
Page 12, Line 23identifying students who display characteristics of dyslexia
Page 12, Line 24that is implemented or created pursuant to subsection (9)(a) of
Page 12, Line 25this section identifies risk factors for dyslexia, a teacher shall
Page 13, Line 1administer one or more diagnostic assessments pursuant to
Page 13, Line 2section 22-7-1205 (1)(b) and proceed with READ plan
Page 13, Line 3implementation or alternative procedures as required pursuant to sections 22-7-1205 and 22-7-1206.
Page 13, Line 4SECTION 8. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1209, amend
Page 13, Line 5(1)(a), (2)(a)(I), (3) introductory portion, (3)(b), and (8)(c)(I); and add (2.5) as follows:
Page 13, Line 622-7-1209. State board - rules - department - duties. (1) The
Page 13, Line 7state board shall promulgate rules in accordance with the "State
Page 13, Line 8Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, as necessary to
Page 13, Line 9implement the provisions of this part 12, which rules must include, but need not be limited to:
Page 13, Line 10(a) The minimum reading competency skill levels in the areas of
Page 13, Line 11phonemic awareness; phonics; vocabulary development;
reading fluency,Page 13, Line 12
includingPage 13, Line 13word decoding; and reading comprehension for kindergarten and first,
Page 13, Line 14second, and third grades. The state board shall base the minimum skill
Page 13, Line 15levels for second and third grades primarily on scores attained on the
Page 13, Line 16assessments approved by the state board pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of
Page 13, Line 17this section. The state board shall describe the minimum skill levels for
Page 13, Line 18students as they complete kindergarten and first grade using matrices of
Page 13, Line 19appropriate indicators, which indicators may include measures of
Page 13, Line 20students' social and emotional development, physical development,
Page 13, Line 21language and comprehension development, and cognition and general
Page 13, Line 22knowledge. The state board shall adopt the rules described in this
Page 13, Line 23subsection (1)(a) by March 31, 2013. The state board shall review the
Page 13, Line 24minimum reading competency skill levels on or before July 1, 2019, and every four years thereafter and update them as necessary.
Page 14, Line 1(2) (a) (I) Using the procedure developed pursuant to subsection
Page 14, Line 2(3) of this section, the department shall review and recommend to the
Page 14, Line 3state board reading assessments, including interim, summative, and
Page 14, Line 4diagnostic assessments, for kindergarten and first, second, and third
Page 14, Line 5grades that, at a minimum, meet the criteria specified in
subsectionPage 14, Line 6
(2)(a)(II)Page 14, Line 7action by the state board to approve reading assessments pursuant to
Page 14, Line 8subsection (1)(b) of this section, the department shall create a list of the
Page 14, Line 9approved reading assessments for kindergarten and first, second, and third
Page 14, Line 10grades for use by local education providers. The department shall update
Page 14, Line 11the list of approved reading assessments on or before July 1, 2019, and
Page 14, Line 12every four years thereafter as necessary. The department shall work with
Page 14, Line 13the approved assessment publishers to better align, to the extent
Page 14, Line 14practicable, the minimum reading competency levels for third grade,
Page 14, Line 15which are based on the scores attained on the approved assessments, with
Page 14, Line 16the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards for third-grade reading adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1005.
Page 14, Line 17(2.5) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection
Page 14, Line 18(2)(a)(II) of this section, during the department's required review
Page 14, Line 19of assessments pursuant to this section, the department shall
Page 14, Line 20ensure that each of the recommended interim assessments is
Page 14, Line 21developmentally appropriate, economical, and efficient to
Page 14, Line 22administer and screens for risk of reading difficulties, including
Page 14, Line 23characteristics of dyslexia. Each recommended interim reading assessment must meet the following criteria:
Page 14, Line 24(a) In the identification of students who are at risk of reading difficulties:
Page 15, Line 1(I) Accurately and reliably identify students who are at risk of reading failure or reading disorders; and
Page 15, Line 2(II) Directly measure reading competency skills, including, but not limited to:
Page 15, Line 3(A) Phonological and phonemic awareness;
(B) The alphabetic principle;
Page 15, Line 4(C) Encoding and word-decoding skills;
(D) Letter naming;
Page 15, Line 5(E) Oral reading fluency; and
(F) Rapid automatized naming;
Page 15, Line 6(b) Meet validity and reliability standards by:
Page 15, Line 7(I) Using norm-referenced and criterion-based scores that include, at a minimum:
Page 15, Line 8(A) Validity and reliability measures for grade-level, skill-specific subtests;
Page 15, Line 9(B) Grade-level, skill-specific validity measures,
Page 15, Line 10including concurrent validity, predictive validity, and classification accuracy;
Page 15, Line 11(C) Grade-level reliability measures, including
Page 15, Line 12test-retest reliability, interrater reliability if the assessment is not computer adaptive, and alternate form reliability; and
Page 15, Line 13(D) Evidence that the assessment is normed and validated
Page 15, Line 14using a contemporary multicultural and multilanguage sample
Page 15, Line 15of students, with outcome data for students whose home
Page 15, Line 16language is a language other than English, as well as students
Page 15, Line 17who are native English speakers;
Page 16, Line 1(II) Ensuring the assessment includes a publicly available technical manual; and
Page 16, Line 2(III) Ensuring the publicly available technical manual
Page 16, Line 3includes cutoff points for risk, based on research correlating
Page 16, Line 4specific skill scores at designated time points with future reading outcomes;
Page 16, Line 5(c) Encourage data-driven instructional decision making by:
Page 16, Line 6(I) Providing screening assessment results that allow
Page 16, Line 7teachers to determine whether a student is below
Page 16, Line 8research-based cutoff points for risk on a composite score and individual subtests;
Page 16, Line 9(II) Permitting the use of subtest scores and risk cutoff
Page 16, Line 10points in the selection of diagnostic or formative assessments to
Page 16, Line 11further evaluate reading competency skills and inform differentiated instruction; and
Page 16, Line 12(III) Enabling educators to use screening assessment data to guide subsequent assessment and instructional decisions;
Page 16, Line 13(d) Promote efficient administration and follow-up by:
(I) Minimizing student assessment time;
Page 16, Line 14(II) Providing reliable alternate forms for progress monitoring;
Page 16, Line 15(III) Including timed subtests to measure automaticity and fluency;
Page 16, Line 16(IV) Avoiding redundancy in administration and scoring; and
Page 16, Line 17(V) Supplying guidance and resources for educators regarding how to:
Page 17, Line 1(A) Administer the assessment, interpret results, and
Page 17, Line 2explain results to families, including in students' primary languages; and
Page 17, Line 3(B) Determine further educational strategies,
Page 17, Line 4assessments, diagnostics, and potential interventions that are
Page 17, Line 5specific to each type of student result that may be effective for
Page 17, Line 6the specific needs of an individual student and that reflect a
Page 17, Line 7tiered interventions model aligned with the multi-tiered systems of supports.
Page 17, Line 8(3) The department shall develop and implement a procedure for
Page 17, Line 9identifying the reading assessments it recommends to the state board for
Page 17, Line 10the approved list of reading assessments described in
subsection (2)(a)Page 17, Line 11subsections (2)(a) and (2.5) of this section and for creating the advisory
Page 17, Line 12lists of instructional programming and professional development
Page 17, Line 13programs described in subsections (2)(b) and (2)(c) of this section. At a minimum, the procedure must include:
Page 17, Line 14(b) Evaluating the assessments, instructional programming, and
Page 17, Line 15professional development programs that the department identifies or
Page 17, Line 16receives, which evaluation is based on the criteria specified in
subsectionPage 17, Line 17
(2)Page 17, Line 18the state board may adopt by rule. The department may contract with an
Page 17, Line 19independent, third-party evaluator approved by the state board to evaluate
Page 17, Line 20the materials. The department shall recommend to the state board the
Page 17, Line 21reading assessments that meet the requirements specified in
paragraph (a) of subsection (2)Page 17, Line 22(8) (c) The multi-year evaluation of the implementation of this part 12 must include:
Page 18, Line 1(I) Review of the approved reading assessments and the items
Page 18, Line 2included on the advisory lists of instructional programming in reading and
Page 18, Line 3supporting technologies and of professional development programs to
Page 18, Line 4ensure that they meet the requirements specified in
subsection (2)Page 18, Line 5subsections (2) and (2.5) of this section and a review of the processes
Page 18, Line 6by which the department identifies assessments, instructional
Page 18, Line 7programming in reading, and professional development programs for inclusion on the lists;
Page 18, Line 8SECTION 9. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-20.5-102, amend (3) as follows:
Page 18, Line 922-20.5-102. Definitions. As used in this article 20.5, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 18, Line 10(3) "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is
Page 18, Line 11neurobiological in origin and characterized by difficulties with accurate
Page 18, Line 12
anddecodingPage 18, Line 13word-decoding abilities, which difficulties typically result from a
Page 18, Line 14deficit in the phonological component of language that is often
Page 18, Line 15unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of
Page 18, Line 16effective classroom instruction. The secondary consequences of dyslexia
Page 18, Line 17may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading
Page 18, Line 18experience that may impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
Page 18, Line 19SECTION 10. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 18, Line 20takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 18, Line 21ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 18, Line 22that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 19, Line 1of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 19, Line 2act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 19, Line 3effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 19, Line 4November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.