(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Assembly Bill No. 405–Assemblymen Angle, Gibbons, Beers, Brown, Carpenter, Cegavske, Claborn, Collins, Gustavson, Hettrick, Marvel, Nolan, Price, Tiffany and Von Tobel

 

March 16, 2001

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Joint Sponsors: Senators Rawson, Neal, Coffin,
Washington, O’Donnell and Shaffer

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Referred to Committee on Education

 

SUMMARY—Expresses sense of Nevada Legislature regarding reading proficiency of Nevada’s school children. (BDR 34‑652)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: Yes.

                                    Effect on the State: Yes.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to education; expressing the sense of the Nevada Legislature regarding available methods to improve the reading proficiency of Nevada’s school children at an early grade level; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. 1.  The Nevada Legislature declares that:

1-2    (a) It is essential to the educational success of the children who are

1-3  enrolled in Nevada’s public schools that they learn to read with proficiency

1-4  at an early grade level;

1-5    (b) The acquisition of reading and literacy grants provided through the

1-6  Reading Excellence Act, 20 U.S.C. §§ 6661 et seq., would greatly enhance

1-7  the ability of this state to increase the reading proficiency of Nevada’s

1-8  school children;

1-9    (c) The intended goal of the Nevada Legislature is to increase the

1-10  reading proficiency of Nevada’s school children at an early grade level and

1-11  to establish the optimal conditions for the receipt of reading and literacy

1-12  grants provided through the Reading Excellence Act;

1-13    (d) In furtherance of its intended goal, the Nevada Legislature hereby

1-14  states that it is in support of:

2-1       (1) The establishment of a plan pursuant to which the Governor and

2-2  the Department of Education will establish a reading and literacy

2-3  partnership in accordance with the requirements of 20 U.S.C. § 6661b(d) to

2-4  ensure that all applications and proposals for reading and literacy grants

2-5  provided through the Reading Excellence Act are presented in such a

2-6  manner as to produce an outcome resulting in the maximum financial and

2-7  educational benefit for this state;

2-8       (2) The availability and delivery of professional development

2-9  activities for the teachers who are employed in this state that are:

2-10         (I) Related to providing instruction in reading;

2-11         (II) Based upon scientifically based reading research; and

2-12         (III) Founded on a balanced approach to providing instruction in

2-13  reading that prepares teachers in the major components of reading,

2-14  including, without limitation, phonemic awareness, systematic phonics,

2-15  spelling, vocabulary, fluency, reading comprehension and writing;

2-16      (3) The use of technology, as appropriate, to enhance the professional

2-17  development activities described in subparagraph (2);

2-18      (4) The participation of parents and legal guardians in activities

2-19  related to reading and literacy in a manner that will enhance the ability of

2-20  their children to learn;

2-21      (5) The provision of family literacy services that are based upon

2-22  programs such as the Even Start Family Literacy Program; and

2-23      (6) The development of mechanisms to assess and evaluate, on a

2-24  regular basis, the progress made by the school districts in this state in

2-25  enhancing the reading proficiency of Nevada’s school children at an early

2-26  grade level.

2-27    2.  As used in this section:

2-28    (a) “Reading” has the meaning ascribed to it in 20 U.S.C. § 6661a(4).

2-29    (b) “Scientifically based reading research” has the meaning ascribed to

2-30  in 20 U.S.C. § 6661a(5).

2-31    Sec. 2. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

 

2-32  H