EARLY LITERACY

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EARLY LITERACY TARGETED INTERVENTIONS

In 2023, the Montana Legislature passed the Early Literacy Targeted Intervention Act (HB 352), designed to improve the number of students reading proficiently by third grade. 20-7-1803, MCA, provides for three different types of interventions for school districts to offer eligible students: classroom-based program, home-based program, and jumpstart program. 

The local board of trustees shall adopt and ensure use of an evaluation methodology to identify, enroll, and admit children to early literacy targeted interventions. The evaluation methodology used must be overseen by and include application of professional judgment of qualified employees. A child may not be evaluated for the purposes of these interventions unless requested by the child's parent or guardian. The district must maintain evidence of the request. The evaluation methodology may be administered in April, May, or June, and must assess at least one of the literacy skills outlined in ARM 10.54.901.

The list of approved evaluation methodology screening tools must be reviewed by the Board of Public Education in odd years through a process of review complying with the provisions of Title 2, Chapter 3, MCA, to ensure continuous adherence to developmentally appropriate and research-based screening tool requirements.

2024 List of Approved Screening Tools