HB220 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Terri CollinsRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Literacy Act, definitions further provided, membership and duties of the Literacy Task Force, duties and functioning of the Alabama Committee on Grade Level Reading, Secs. 16-6G-2 to 16-6G-5, inclusive, am'd.

Summary

HB220 strengthens Alabama's Literacy Act by expanding definitions, creating a Literacy Task Force and Grade Level Reading Committee, and expanding reading programs, assessments, and third-grade promotion rules.

What This Bill Does

It adds standard literacy definitions (like alphabetic principle, decoding, phonemic awareness, and dyslexia) to guide instruction. It creates a Literacy Task Force to recommend core reading programs, vetted assessments, and screening systems, with diverse membership and science-based requirements. It funds and governs the Alabama Reading Initiative, establishing regional and local literacy specialists, professional development, and an accountability system with annual reporting. It also tightens third-grade promotion rules, requires a science-of-reading-based core program for K-3, expands targeted interventions and summer camps, and allows good-cause exemptions with intensive acceleration for students retained in third grade.

Who It Affects

• Public K-3 students in Alabama: their reading instruction, assessments, and options for promotion or retention are affected, with new intervention and improvement-plan requirements.
• Local education agencies, schools, and teachers: they must implement core reading programs, hire literacy specialists, conduct assessments, monitor progress, notify parents, and report data under the new rules.

Key Provisions

• 16-6G-2 defines literacy terms (alphabetic principle, decoding, encoding, phonemic awareness, dyslexia, vocabulary, fluency, etc.) to standardize reading concepts.
• 16-6G-3 establishes the Literacy Task Force with specified professional makeup and duties, including recommending comprehensive reading programs, approved assessments, and screening systems; aims for diversity and scientifically based reading instruction.
• 16-6G-4 outlines funding and structure for the Alabama Reading Initiative, including local and regional reading specialists, teacher professional learning, intervention curricula, and an accountability/reporting system with annual updates to the Governor and Legislature plus the Task Force.
• 16-6G-5 requires a state-wide, science-of-reading-based core reading program for all K-3 students, with time allocated for instruction; lowest performing (five percent) schools must purchase aligned programs; mandates reading interventions, dyslexia-specific supports, and intensive acceleration for retained third-graders; includes parent notifications and required home strategies.
• Promotion and retention changes for third grade (h to n): students must demonstrate reading skills via approved assessments, an alternate assessment, or a reading portfolio to be promoted; good-cause exemptions are allowed under defined conditions; retention is limited to no more than twice in K-3; intensive acceleration and highly trained teachers are required for retained students; annual reporting and data collection requirements are specified.
• Summer and supplemental programs: mandatory summer reading camps for students with deficiencies, staffed by highly effective reading teachers, with a focus on explicit, systematic instruction and data-driven adjustments; funds and guidelines for the Alabama Summer Achievement Program and related interventions.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education