The Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development (DEED) adopted regulations associated with the Alaska Reads Act on Wednesday, April 19th and approved regulations related to a Statewide Screening Tool to go out for public comment.
The Alaska Reads Act creates four new programs within DEED: an early education program, a department reading program, a district reading improvement program, and a virtual education consortium. These new programs will assist school districts in their efforts to bring all students to reading proficiency by 3rd grade which will make their future in all arenas of education more accessible. The approved regulations address the first three programs, an early education program, a department reading program, and a district reading improvement program, and included approval of the Alaska Early Education Program Standards.
The Statewide Screening Tool regulations to go out for public comment are also in response to the Alaska Reads Act. This tool will be administered to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade to identify students with reading deficiencies. DEED has procured the mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition as the statewide screening tool.
The Board also received an update from the Acting Commissioner.
The Board’s next scheduled meeting is an in-person quarterly meeting on June 7-8, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska.
