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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to teaching students in grades 1 through 3

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in public elementary schools; creating s. 1008.26, F.S.;

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requiring that certain students who are enrolled in a

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public elementary school and reading below grade level be

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placed into an intensive reading lab; specifying criteria

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for an intensive reading lab; providing for oversight of

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the progress of students assigned to a lab; encouraging

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the principal of a school where reading labs are required

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to ask for donations to secure instructional materials;

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requiring a principal of a public school where students in

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grades 1 through 3 are enrolled to create, by hiring or

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training, a team of teachers for those grades having

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expertise in specified areas; specifying requirements

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concerning how to train certain teachers to teach reading;

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requiring the principal to assign teachers on the team for

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a specified time to classes of students in grades 1

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through 3; providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Section 1008.26, Florida Statutes, is created to

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read:

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     1008.26 Reading by grade 4.--

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     (1) Each student who is entering kindergarten, first grade,

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second grade, or third grade must be assessed as to his or her

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proficiency in the subject of reading as defined by the Sunshine

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State Standards. Each student who is reading below grade level

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must be placed into an intensive reading lab that:

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     (a) Has a student-teacher ratio of not more than 5 students

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per one full-time equivalent teacher.

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     (b) Is staffed at all times by a teacher who is certified

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under s. 1012.56 and has expertise in the area of teaching

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reading skills to students in kindergarten through grade 3.

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     (c) Provides the student, for 2 hours each school day, with

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tutoring and remediation so that the student learns to read at

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grade level.

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     (2) Each student assigned to an intensive reading lab must

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be reassessed in the middle and at the end of each school year

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and, if the student is reading at or above his or her grade

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level, the student's assignment to the intensive reading lab

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shall be terminated.

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     (3) The principal of each public school where an intensive

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reading lab is required under subsection (1) is encouraged to ask

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persons, particularly persons who may qualify for an income tax

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deduction or credit under federal tax law, to donate funds for

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the school to buy instructional materials, such as books or

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computer technology or software, for use by the students assigned

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to the lab, or to donate such materials.

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     (4)(a) The principal of each public school in which

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students in grades 1 through 3 are enrolled shall, by hiring

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teachers or securing training for teachers already hired, create

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a team of teachers for grades 1 through 3 which includes a nearly

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equal distribution of teachers having expertise in each of the

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following areas:

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     1. Teaching reading to students in grades 1 through 3. At

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least one-third of the team must have this expertise.

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     2. Teaching science and math to students in grades 1

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through 3.

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     3. Teaching social science to students in grades 1 through

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3.

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If training is required so that a teacher can develop expertise

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in the area of teaching reading to students in grades 1 through

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3, the training must be provided outside the regular school day.

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     (b) After July 1, 2010, the principal shall assign teachers

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so that each school day at least one teacher in each of the areas

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of expertise described in paragraph (a) visits and teaches for a

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minimum of 2 hours in the classroom of each student enrolled in

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grades 1 through 3. Before July 1, 2010, the principal is

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encouraged to make such assignments.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.