An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Reading Competency.
HB69 amends Delaware’s education code to strengthen statewide reading screening and intervention requirements for students in kindergarten through third grade. It requires districts and charter schools to screen students three times per year using a Department-approved universal reading screener, and to notify parents or guardians in writing of screening results and any interventions being used. The bill also requires schools to provide educators time during the contractual day to complete screening-related tasks and to ensure coverage for instruction or student support while those duties are performed.
The bill directs the Department of Education to maintain and periodically update lists of approved universal reading screeners and literacy intervention approaches. Those lists must be based on evidence-based reading instruction and consider factors such as screening time, timeliness of reporting, diagnostic and progress-monitoring features, and alignment with multi-tiered systems of support. The Department must also provide free professional learning, allow districts and charter schools to apply for approval of alternative screeners, and issue guidelines linking interventions to specific literacy skill gaps identified through screening and diagnostics.
HB69 also expands reporting and accountability. Beginning in 2023, districts and charter schools must report annually on the number and percentage of students identified with potential reading deficiencies, including characteristics of dyslexia, and the interventions provided. The Department must compile and publish a statewide report each year. Starting in 2026, the Department must identify schools with two consecutive years of significant numbers of students below proficient on the state third-grade reading assessment and provide targeted supports such as coaching, professional development, school improvement assistance, and literacy improvement planning.
The bill’s impact on state law is to formalize a more detailed statewide framework for early literacy screening, intervention selection, parent notification, educator support, and school-level accountability. It adds specific statutory criteria for approved screeners and interventions, creates a process for alternative screener approval, and requires ongoing public reporting and departmental support for struggling schools. It also reinforces attention to dyslexia and other reading deficiencies within Delaware’s literacy policy.
Sentiment around the bill appears generally supportive and reform-oriented, with the synopsis emphasizing updated standards, evidence-based practices, and added supports for schools. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented opposition in the supplied materials. The main points of potential contention are likely to be implementation burdens: the required screening frequency, educator time and coverage obligations, the Department’s approval authority over screeners and interventions, and the added reporting and support requirements for districts and charter schools.
HB69 amends Title 14 of the Delaware Code, Section 158, to require universal reading screening for K-3 students three times annually, mandate Department-approved literacy interventions for students with potential reading deficiencies, and establish statewide lists and guidelines for approved screeners and interventions. It also requires annual district and school reporting, statewide compilation and publication of reading deficiency data, and Department identification and support of schools with persistent third-grade reading underperformance. The bill affects school districts, charter schools, the Department of Education, parents/guardians, and educators by imposing new screening, notification, training, and reporting duties.
The available materials suggest broad support for improving early literacy outcomes through evidence-based screening and intervention. The bill’s synopsis frames it as an update to DOE standards and an expansion of supports for struggling schools, with no recorded votes or committee testimony indicating organized opposition. Because no discussion transcript is provided, sentiment can only be inferred from the bill’s structure and sponsor list, which indicate a collaborative, policy-focused effort rather than a contentious measure.
No formal committee debate or vote history is included, so specific objections are not documented. Likely areas of contention include the administrative and instructional time required for three annual screenings, the obligation to provide educator time and classroom coverage, the Department’s control over approved screeners and interventions, and the new reporting and school-support mandates. Districts and charter schools may be concerned about workload and implementation costs, while supporters would likely emphasize consistency, evidence-based practice, and earlier identification of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.