The Department is expanding programmatic opportunities within the RAISE High School Tutoring Program based on changes included in SB 46 (Chapter No. 2024-46, Laws of Florida). The expansion includes: tutoring may occur during ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-6.0531Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (RAISE)

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Department is expanding programmatic opportunities within the RAISE High School Tutoring Program based on changes included in SB 46 (Chapter No. 2024-46, Laws of Florida). The expansion includes: tutoring may occur during or after school; school districts participating in the tutoring program may provide a stipend to instructional personnel and high school students serving as tutors for after-school tutoring; and unpaid tutoring hours completed by eligible high school tutors may be counted toward community service hours for graduation and community service requirements for participation in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Additional technical changes will be made to increase clarity and remove outdated language.

SUMMARY: The RAISE High School Tutoring Program was established for eligible high school students to provide tutoring to students in grades K-3 at RAISE identified schools. The expansion of tutoring opportunities within the rule will provide additional learning opportunities for students who attend RAISE identified schools in order to increase student literacy achievement.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The proposed rule is not expected to have any adverse impact on economic growth or business competitiveness, or increase regulatory costs or any other factor and will not require legislative ratification. This is based upon the nature of the proposed rule.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1001.02(1), (2)(n), 1008.365(9), F.S.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1008.365, F.S.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: July 24, 2024, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Rosan Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd. Suwannee 18/19/20, Orlando, Florida 32819.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Michelle Barash, Executive Director, Just Read, Florida! 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32399, [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-6.0531 Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (RAISE).

(1) In accordance with Section (s.) 1008.365, Florida Statutes (F.S.), F.S., RAISE is established within the Department of Education (Department) to provide instructional supports to school districts, school administrators and instructional personnel in implementing:

(a) No change.

(b) Differentiated instruction based on screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or summative student assessment data; and

(c) Explicit, and systematic, and scaffolded reading instruction strategies to develop oral language, phonological phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension with more extensive opportunities for guided practice, error correction, and corrective feedback.

(2) Identification of RAISE schools. A district school serving students in kindergarten through grade 5 must be identified for supports, regardless of its school grade pursuant to s. Section 1008.34, F.S., if:

(a) No change.   

(b) Progress monitoring data collected from the coordinated screening and progress monitoring system pursuant to s. Section 1008.25(9)(8), F.S., shows that fifty (50) percent or more of the students are not on track to pass the statewide, standardized grade 3 English Language Arts assessment for any grade level kindergarten through grade 3; and

(c) At least ten (10) students are present for both the second and third full-time equivalent (FTE) survey periods as specified in Rule 6A-1.0451, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), F.A.C., and who are still enrolled at the time of statewide, standardized testing.

(3) Supports for RAISE schools. A school identified for RAISE based on the established criteria must:

(a) Receive support from a State Regional Literacy Director. State Regional Literacy Directors serve in a regional capacity focused on improving implementation of evidence-based practices and curriculum, instruction and intervention;, and reading assessments as delineated in Ddistrict K-12 Comprehensive Evidence-Based Reading Plans approved under s. Section 1003.4201, F.S.,; and the reading portion of school improvement plans for schools identified for RAISE supports. State Regional Literacy Directors utilize monitor district-level, school-level and classroom-level data to help provide differentiated support to school districts, school-level literacy leadership teams, coaches and teachers. State Regional Literacy Directors provide supports for schools identified for RAISE, including:

1. Professional learning, aligned to the science of reading and evidence-based strategies identified pursuant to s. Section 1001.215(7), F.S.;

2. through 4. No change.

5. Assistance with:

a. Data-informed instructional decision-making using progress monitoring and other appropriate data;

b. Selection and Cconsistent, coordinated use of scientifically researched and evidence-based supplemental materials grounded in the science of reading as identified by the Just Read, Florida! Office pursuant to s. Section 1001.215(7), F.S. Identified reading instructional and intervention programs for foundational skills must not include strategies that employ the three-cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading;

c. through d. No change.

(b) Implement a school improvement plan pursuant to s. Section 1001.42(18), F.S., or, if the school is already implementing a school improvement plan, the plan must be amended to explicitly address strategies for improving reading performance. The school improvement plan must be submitted through the Florida Continuous Improvement Management System (CIMS) website: https://www.floridacims.org/.

(4) RAISE Tutoring Program. As part of RAISE, the Department has established a tutoring program that prepares eligible high school students to tutor students in kindergarten through grade 3 who attend RAISE schools.

(a) No change.

(b) Tutoring must occur:

1. During or after the school day;

2. through 3. No change.

(c) School districts participating in the tutoring program may provide a stipend to instructional personnel and high school students serving as tutors for after-school tutoring.

(d) Unpaid hours that a high school student devotes to tutoring may be counted toward meeting community service requirements for high school graduation and community service requirements for participation in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program as provided in s. 1003.493(3)(b), F.S.

(e)(c) School districts that wish to participate in the tutoring program must notify the Department by July 1 at [e-mail] and meet the following criteria:

1. through 5. No change.

6. School districts must provide eligible tutors with a recognition certificate and pin, as provided in paragraph (4)(f)(d).

(f)(d) RAISE tutors who provide at least seventy-five (75) hours of tutoring under the program shall be known as New Worlds Scholars.

1. through 2. No change.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1) FS. 1008.365(9) FS. Law Implemented 1008.365 FS. History–New 6-14-22, Amended 9-26-23,

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Michelle Barash, Executive Director, Just Read, Florida!

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Manny Diaz Jr., Commissioner of Education

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: June 21, 2024

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: May 9, 2024