N.Y. Education Law § 818: Evidence-based and scientifically based reading instruction

§ 818. Evidence-based and scientifically based reading instruction. 1.

(a) On or before January first, two thousand twenty-five, the

commissioner shall provide school districts with the instructional best

practices for the teaching of reading to students in prekindergarten

through grade three. Instructional best practices for the teaching of

reading shall be evidence-based and scientifically based, focusing on

reading competency in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics,

vocabulary development, reading fluency, comprehension, including

background knowledge, oral language and writing, oral skill development,

and align with the department's culturally responsive-sustaining

framework. Such instructional best practices shall be periodically

updated by the commissioner where appropriate.

(b) Every school district shall annually review their curriculum and

instructional practices in the subject of reading for students in

prekindergarten through grade three to ensure that they align with the

reading instructional best practices provided by the commissioner, and

that all early reading instructional practices and interventions are

part of an aligned plan designed to improve student reading outcomes in

prekindergarten through grade three.

2. For the purpose of this section, "evidence-based and scientifically

based", "phonemic awareness", "comprehension", "reading fluency",

"vocabulary development", "culturally responsive-sustaining framework",

and such other terms necessary to implement this section shall be as

defined by the commissioner in regulations.

3. On or before September first, two thousand twenty-five, every

school district shall verify to the commissioner that their curriculum

and instructional practices in the subject of reading in prekindergarten

through grade three align with all of the elements of the instructional

best practices provided by the commissioner pursuant to this section.