The district has established the components of the Reading Enhancement and Acceleration Development (READ) Initiative. The focus of the READ Initiative is to avoid the retention of 3rd grade students and to offer intensive accelerated reading instruction to grade 3 students who failed to meet standards for promotion to grade 4 and to each K-3 student whose assessments indicate a reading deficiency.

Under the READ Initiative schools shall do the following:

• Provide intensive, accelerated reading instruction to help close the gap for K-3 students at risk of retention/performing below grade level in reading.
• Provide core instructional materials
• Provide third grade students who have been retained with an experienced highly effective teacher as determined by the teacher’s performance evaluation.
• Provide parent or legal guardian of students to be retained with at least one of the following instructional options:
• Supplemental tutoring in scientifically research-based reading services in addition to the daily reading block.
• A mentor or tutor with specialized reading training.

In addition, Senate Bill 850, Section 22 (2014) amends 1008.25 F.S. to specify that:

• The school must inform parents/legal guardians of third grade students of the portfolio option for promotion as soon as a reading deficiency is identified. A parent of a third-grade student at risk of retention may request the school to immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio.
• Reading instruction and intervention that includes specialized diagnostic information and strategies to meet the needs of each student.
• A student may not be retained in grade three more than once.

The READ Initiative shall: 1008.25 (7)(b) F.S.

• Be provided to all K-3 students at risk of retention as identified by the district’s assessment system utilizing screening, diagnostic and progress monitoring instruments that measure the Big Six: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, oral language, vocabulary, and comprehension.
• Be provided during regular school hours in addition to the regular reading instruction.
• Provide a state-identified research-based reading curriculum.

The curriculum must meet the following specifications:

• Assist students whose assessments indicate a reading deficiency in developing the ability to read at grade level.
• Provide skill development in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
• Provide scientifically based and reliable assessment.
• Provide initial and ongoing analysis of each student’s reading progress.
• Be implemented during regular school hours.
• Be based in core academic subjects to assist the student in maintaining or meeting proficiency levels for the appropriate grade in all academic subjects.