November, 2021 – Florida Statute (1002.57(1), F.S.)

Recent legislative changes to section (s.) 1002.55, Florida Statutes (F.S.) and s. 1002.63, F.S. provide all VPK instructors, including those holding a valid Florida educator certificate, opportunities to increase skills for emergent literacy instruction with young children.

All VPK instructors must complete three 5-hour emergent literacy courses, an increase from the previous requirements of one emergent literacy course. After completing the first three emergent literacy courses, VPK instructors must complete one emergent literacy course every five years.

May, 2021 – Highlights of HB 419: Early Learning
and Early Grade Success include:

Prioritizes Florida’s youngest learners and VPK programs by strengthening the accountability system and utilizing coordinated screening and progress monitoring programs to identify emergent literacy and mathematics skill deficiencies to provide those students intensive, personalized interventions.

Establishes a timeline for phasing in a new VPK accountability system based on performance metrics that include student outcomes, learning gains, and observations of child-teacher interactions.

Allows districts to use the research-based reading allocation to fund intensive interventions for VPK students who are identified with a substantial reading deficiency.

May, 2021 – Highlights of HB 7011: Student Literacy include:

Implementing a VPK-grade 8 progress monitoring system by 2022-2023 to swiftly provide personalized interventions for students struggling in reading, math and other subjects.

Monitoring the impact of interventions so additional support can be provided to keep students on track and growing at grade level.

Creating the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence Program (RAISE), a coordinated system of statewide literacy support through regional literacy expert teams available to all districts and teachers.

Requiring the Department of Education to identify instructional materials that implement evidence-based practices.

Recruiting rising high school juniors and seniors to serve as tutors using evidence-based summer literacy programs for K-grade 3 students in high need schools to help readers gain reading skills.

Requiring all teachers in front of students with reading deficiencies earn a reading endorsement to their educator certification. This will provide teachers with the tools they need to transform a student’s educational outcomes.

Engaging parents of struggling readers on their student’s progress and the effectiveness of interventions, and sharing information on school choice options and all possible accommodations for students with special abilities and needs.