S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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9747
I N S E N A T E
April 2, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to early literacy educa-
tion
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "right to read act".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 819 to read
as follows:
§ 819. EARLY LITERACY EDUCATION. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE
FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "EVIDENCE-BASED" MEANS THE INSTRUCTION OR ITEM DESCRIBED IS BASED
ON RIGOROUS, RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY AND VALID SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND HAS
DEMONSTRATED A RECORD OF SUCCESS IN ADDRESSING STUDENTS' READING COMPE-
TENCY IN THE AREAS OF PHONEMIC AWARENESS, PHONICS, VOCABULARY DEVELOP-
MENT, READING FLUENCY AND COMPREHENSION, INCLUDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
ORAL LANGUAGE AND WRITING.
(B) "PHONEMIC AWARENESS" MEANS THE ABILITY TO NOTICE, THINK ABOUT AND
MANIPULATE INDIVIDUAL SOUNDS IN SPOKEN SYLLABLES AND WORDS.
(C) "VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT" MEANS THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING NEW WORDS.
"VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT" INCLUDES IMPROVING ALL AREAS OF COMMUNICATION,
INCLUDING LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING AND WRITING WHICH IS DIRECTLY
RELATED TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AND IS A STRONG PREDICTOR FOR READING
SUCCESS.
(D) "READING FLUENCY" MEANS THE ABILITY TO READ WORDS, PHRASES AND
SENTENCES ACCURATELY, AT AN APPROPRIATE SPEED, AND WITH EXPRESSION.
(E) "READING COMPREHENSION" MEANS A FUNCTION OF WORD RECOGNITION
SKILLS AND LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION SKILLS AND SHALL INCLUDE HAVING SUFFI-
CIENT BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND VOCABULARY IN ORDER FOR THE READER TO
UNDERSTAND THE WORDS IN FRONT OF THEM. "READING COMPREHENSION" ALSO
INCLUDES THE ACTIVE PROCESS THAT REQUIRES INTENTIONAL THINKING DURING
WHICH MEANING IS CONSTRUCTED THROUGH INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE TEXT AND
READER. COMPREHENSION SKILLS ARE TAUGHT EXPLICITLY BY DEMONSTRATING,
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15404-01-6
S. 9747 2
EXPLAINING, MODELING AND IMPLEMENTING SPECIFIC COGNITIVE STRATEGIES TO
HELP BEGINNING READERS DERIVE MEANING THROUGH INTENTIONAL, PROBLEM-SOLV-
ING THINKING PROCESSES.
(F) "THREE-CUEING", OR "MEANING STRUCTURE VISUAL" (MSV) MEANS A METHOD
THAT TEACHES STUDENTS TO USE MEANING, STRUCTURE AND SYNTAX, AND VISUAL
CUES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO READ AN UNKNOWN WORD.
(G) "CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS" MEANS ALIGNMENT WITH THE NEW YORK STATE
CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE SUSTAINING EDUCATION (CRSE) FRAMEWORK.
(H) "CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE SUSTAINING EDUCATION (CRSE) FRAMEWORK"
MEANS A FRAMEWORK THAT HELPS EDUCATORS CREATE STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS THAT: AFFIRM RACIAL, LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES;
PREPARE STUDENTS FOR RIGOR AND INDEPENDENT LEARNING, DEVELOP STUDENTS'
ABILITIES TO CONNECT ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE; ELEVATE HISTORICALLY
MARGINALIZED VOICES; AND EMPOWER STUDENTS AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE.
2. COMMENCING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE
APPROVED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF
THIS SECTION, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS IN PRE-
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES NECESSARY TO
ENSURE TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE THAT STUDENTS, AS THEY PROGRESS
THROUGH PRE-KINDERGARTEN, KINGDERGARTEN, FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH
AND FIFTH GRADES DEVELOP THE NECESSARY FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS TO
ENABLE THEM TO MASTER THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS APPLICABLE
TO THE SIXTH GRADE CURRICULUM AND BEYOND. THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING
AND SERVICES FOR TEACHING STUDENTS TO READ MUST BE EVIDENCE-BASED AND
SCIENTIFICALLY-BASED, MUST FOCUS ON READING COMPETENCY IN THE AREAS OF
PHONEMIC AWARENESS, PHONICS, VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT, READING FLUENCY,
COMPREHENSION, INCLUDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE, ORAL LANGUAGE AND WRIT-
ING, ORAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT, AND MUST ALIGN WITH CRSE FRAMEWORK.
DISTRICTS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES
ARE PART OF AN ALIGNED AND COHERENT PLAN DESIGNED TO IMPROVE STUDENT
READING OUTCOMES IN GRADES PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIVE.
3. COMMENCING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE
APPROVED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION
SEVEN OF THIS SECTION, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL
TEACHERS EMPLOYED TO TEACH PRE-KINDERGARTEN, KINDERGARTEN, FIRST,
SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES, INCLUDING TEACHERS WITH MULTIPLE
SUBJECT AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST TEACHING CREDENTIALS, POSSESS ADEQUATE
CAPABILITIES TO TEACH LITERACY USING EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTION. TEACH-
ERS EMPLOYED BY A DISTRICT BEFORE OR ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
SECTION MAY MEET THIS REQUIREMENT BY PRESENTING EVIDENCE OF THEIR PROFI-
CIENCY IN READING INSTRUCTION THROUGH COMPLETION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARN-
ING COURSES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, EVIDENCE-BASED MEANS OF
TEACHING FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS IN PRINT CONCEPTS, PHONOLOGICAL
AWARENESS, PHONICS AND WORD RECOGNITION, COMPREHENSION AND SUPPORTING
READING FLUENCY FOR ALL PUPILS, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING TIERED SUPPORTS
FOR STUDENTS WITH READING DIFFICULTIES INCLUDING THOSE WITH CHARACTER-
ISTICS OF DYSLEXIA AND DYSGRAPHIA, ENGLISH LEARNERS AND STUDENTS WITH
EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. TEACHERS EMPLOYED BY A DISTRICT AFTER THE EFFECTIVE
DATE OF THIS SECTION SHALL MEET THIS REQUIREMENT BY SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETING AT LEAST THIRTY-FIVE HOURS OF EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING IN
READING INSTRUCTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS
SECTION. ALTERNATIVELY, CURRENT AND FUTURE EDUCATORS CAN PROVIDE
EVIDENCE THAT THEIR TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM ADEQUATELY COVERED ALL
OF THESE TOPICS DURING THEIR ENROLLMENT. TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, SCHOOL
LEADERS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SHOULD ALSO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS
SECTION.
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4. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS TO BOCES AND/OR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO HIRE ONSITE LITERACY COACHES TRAINED IN THE SCIENCE OF
READING, FOCUSING ON HIGH NEED DISTRICTS WITH AT LEAST SEVENTY-FIVE
PERCENT OF THIRD GRADERS READING BELOW PROFICIENCY BASED ON THE TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE NEW YORK STATE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS ASSESSMENT.
5. FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE
CITIES OF NEW YORK, BUFFALO, ROCHESTER, SYRACUSE, AND YONKERS, THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A LIST OF APPROVED, EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA
THAT MEETS THE DEFINITION SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE
OF THIS SECTION. SUCH LIST SHALL BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE
AND SHALL AT A MINIMUM BE UPDATED ANNUALLY. SUCH LIST SHALL NOT INCLUDE
INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING OR MATERIALS THAT EMPLOY THREE-CUEING OR MEAN-
ING STRUCTURE VISUAL (MSV). APPROVED CURRICULA SHALL AT A MINIMUM:
(A) HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO ACCELERATE STUDENT PROGRESS IN ATTAINING READ-
ING COMPETENCY;
(B) PROVIDE EXPLICIT AND SYSTEMATIC SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREAS OF
PHONEMIC AWARENESS, PHONICS, VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT, COMPREHENSION AND
READING FLUENCY, INCLUDING ORAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT;
(C) BE EVIDENCE-BASED AND BE ALIGNED WITH THE PRESCHOOL THROUGH
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION STANDARDS FOR READING ADOPTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT;
(D) INCLUDE EVIDENCE-BASED VALID AND RELIABLE ASSESSMENTS THAT PROVIDE
INITIAL AND ONGOING ANALYSIS OF A STUDENT'S PROGRESS IN ATTAINING READ-
ING COMPETENCY AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER YEAR, BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN;
AND
(E) INCLUDE TEXTS ON CORE ACADEMIC CONTENT TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN MAIN-
TAINING OR MEETING GRADE-APPROPRIATE PROFICIENCY LEVELS IN ACADEMIC
SUBJECTS IN ADDITION TO READING, WHILE ENSURING ALIGNMENT WITH THE
STATE'S CRSE FRAMEWORK.
6. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THAT
ALLOWS DISTRICTS TO REPLACE NON-EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA WITH CURRICULA
FROM THE APPROVED DEPARTMENT LIST OF EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA. FUNDS
FROM THIS GRANT MAY BE USED TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR EDUCA-
TORS TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE NEW EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA.
7. (A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A LIST OF APPROVED PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BASED AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN THE
CLASSROOM. PROGRAMS SHOULD ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT READING DEFICIENCIES AND
APPLY INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR STRUGGLING STUDENTS INCLUDING STUDENTS
WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF DYSLEXIA AND DYSGRAPHIA, IN ADDITION TO TEACHING
GENERAL, EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES FOR ALL
STUDENTS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INCLUDE ON SUCH LIST THE APPROVED PROFES-
SIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE. SUCH LIST SHALL
BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE AND SHALL AT A MINIMUM BE UPDATED
ANNUALLY. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENSURE THAT EACH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM INCLUDED ON SUCH LIST:
(I) IS FOCUSED ON OR ALIGNS WITH THE SCIENCE OF READING, AND IS
COMPREHENSIVE AND RESEARCH-BASED, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:
(1) THE STUDY OF ORGANIZED, SYSTEMATIC, EXPLICIT SKILLS INCLUDING
PHONEMIC AWARENESS, DIRECT, SYSTEMATIC, EXPLICIT PHONICS, AND DECODING
STRATEGIES;
(2) A STRONG LITERATURE, LANGUAGE AND COMPREHENSION COMPONENT ENCOM-
PASSING BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE;
(3) ONGOING SCREENING TECHNIQUES TO INFORM TEACHING;
(4) EARLY INTERVENTION MEASURES; AND
S. 9747 4
(5) GUIDED PRACTICE IN A CLINICAL SETTING;
(II) INCLUDES RIGOROUS EVALUATIONS OF LEARNING BOTH THROUGHOUT AND AT
THE CONCLUSION OF THE COURSE, WHICH A PARTICIPANT MUST PASS TO SUCCESS-
FULLY COMPLETE THE COURSE; AND
(III) ALIGNS WITH THE APPROVED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING PUBLISHED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION.
(B) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "DIRECT, SYSTEMATIC, EXPLICIT
PHONICS" MEANS PHONEMIC AWARENESS, SPELLING PATTERNS, THE DIRECT
INSTRUCTION OF SOUND/SYMBOL CODES AND PRACTICE IN CONNECTED TEXT, AND
THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIRECT, SYSTEMATIC, EXPLICIT PHONICS.
8. (A) EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER YEAR, SHALL
GIVE THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF EACH STUDENT IN PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH
GRADE FIVE A PROGRESS REPORT ABOUT SUCH STUDENT'S LITERACY PROGRESS. FOR
PRE-KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF
COGNITIVE ABILITIES, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL
LEARNING. FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE FIVE, SUCH PROGRESS REPORT
SHALL INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:
(I) THE STUDENT'S READING PROFICIENCY AS MEASURED BY DISTRICT READING
ASSESSMENTS AND SCREENERS;
(II) INFORMATION ABOUT THE LITERACY PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES BEING
PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT, INCLUDING CURRICULUM; AND
(III) LIST OF EVIDENCE-BASED HOME AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT FAMI-
LIES AND CAREGIVERS CAN USE TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S READING AND
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A PROGRESS REPORT TEMPLATE FOR
DISTRICTS TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVI-
SION.
9. (A) BY SEPTEMBER FIFTEENTH OF THE SCHOOL YEAR SUBSEQUENT TO THE
SCHOOL YEAR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMMENCE PROVIDING THE
PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION,
AND ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT A
REPORT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES WITH JURISDICTION OVER PRE-KINDER-
GARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE EDUCATION SUMMARIZING, AT MINIMUM, THE
STATE'S PERFORMANCE ON EACH OF THE FOLLOWING METRICS:
(I) STUDENTS' LITERACY AND READING PROGRESSION USING STATE GROWTH
MEASURES. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ANALYZE THE STATE'S PROGRESS IN REGARD
TO STUDENTS' READING AND LITERACY USING THE STATE'S EDUCATIONAL ASSESS-
MENT SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM SHALL MEASURE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL
GROWTH IN THE AREA OF READING BASED ON INDICATORS OF CURRENT ACHIEVEMENT
GROWTH, AND EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S GROWTH MUST BE SHOWN RELATIVE TO
THE STUDENT'S PRIOR ACHIEVEMENT. INDICATORS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND PRIOR
ACHIEVEMENT SHALL BE BASED ON HIGHLY RELIABLE STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS. THE
COMMISSIONER SHALL INCLUDE AGGREGATED DATA AND DISAGGREGATED DATA SHOW-
ING EDUCATIONAL GROWTH BY SCHOOL SITE, GRADE AND RACE/ETHNICITY;
(II) BY SCHOOL SITE AND GRADE, THE PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS REQUIRED TO
POSSESS CAPABILITIES IN RESEARCH-BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTION AS SPECIFIED
UNDER SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED
TRAINING OR OTHERWISE DEMONSTRATED KNOWLEDGE IN EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY
INSTRUCTION;
(III) BY SCHOOL SITE AND GRADE, THE NAMES OF THE APPROVED PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS
SECTION USED BY TEACHERS; AND
(IV) BY SCHOOL SITE AND GRADE, THE NAMES OF THE APPROVED INSTRUCTIONAL
PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS AS SPECIFIED UNDER SUBDIVISION FIVE
OF THIS SECTION THAT WERE USED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE SCHOOL
YEAR.
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(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBLISH THIS INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE IN A
CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE FORMAT.
§ 3. Section 3004 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. A. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS REQUIRING THAT ALL
PERSONS APPLYING ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER SECOND, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
FOR A TEACHING CERTIFICATION OR LICENSE VALID FOR SERVICE IN THE EARLY
CHILDHOOD OR ELEMENTARY GRADES SHALL, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER
CERTIFICATION OR LICENSING REQUIREMENTS, HAVE COMPLETED COURSE WORK OR
TRAINING IN EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTION THAT MEETS THE REQUIRE-
MENTS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED NINETEEN
OF THIS CHAPTER.
B. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ENSURE THAT TEACHER PREPARATION INSTI-
TUTIONS, STARTING IN THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-
SEVEN ACADEMIC YEAR, INCLUDE EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTION THAT
MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION EIGHT
HUNDRED NINETEEN OF THIS CHAPTER.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
