“Supporting all students to read at grade level by the end of third grade
is the top priority identified in Alaska's Education Challenge.”
In June 2022, Governor Mike Dunleavy signed the Alaska Reads Act
into law, creating new programs to support early literacy. The Alaska
Department of Education (DEED) recently released their DRAFT
regulations for the new law. Some important highlights of the new
regulations which go into effect July 2023 are:
● Use of an approved literacy screener (mClass DIBELS) in grades K-3 to identify
reading deficiencies. This screener is given to all kindergarten through third grade
(K-3) students in the fall, winter, and spring.
● Implementation of Individualized Reading Improvement Plan (IRIP) for each K-3
student who has been identified deficient on the literacy screener within 30 days of
assessment. The IRIP is developed with parents or guardians.
● Support for parents in working on reading with their child.
● Intensive reading intervention services provided to IRIP students in addition to core
reading instruction. A student who scores at the lowest level must have plans for
intervention that extend beyond the school day.
● Students who do not pass literacy screener at the end of 3rd grade (winter
benchmark) will not be promoted to the 4th grade UNLESS the parent or guardian
signs a waiver which acknowledges that the student is not prepared and agrees that
the student will participate in an additional 20 hours of individual reading
improvement plan services the summer before the 4th grade.
● Discussion with parents/guardians of retaining K-2 graders if they do not pass the
winter literacy screener. The parent or guardian determines whether the student will
be promoted to the next grade level.
● Science of Reading coursework required for K-3 grade teachers and reading
teachers as part of teacher certification (Effective July 1, 2024).
