“The future is bright for students in the Sunshine State thanks to the vision and commitment of House Speaker Paul Renner, Rep. Dana Trabulsy, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Sen. Alexis Calatayud! Their work to eliminate harmful three-cueing practices in literacy as well as identify and support students struggling in mathematics and reading is truly transformative.
“Florida has a long history of leading the way to improve outcomes for students, and this legislation will ensure our students receive the individualized instruction they need to succeed academically. Families need to know their children are receiving high-quality instruction and be informed if they are falling behind. This bill ensures both.”
About the Legislation
Under HB7039, Florida will address learning gaps in reading and mathematics through numerous strategies. These include early parental notification for K-3 students exhibiting characteristics of dyslexia and dyscalculia; prioritizing assignments for highly effective K-2 teachers; and creation of K-5 math scholarships to help struggling students.
To increase reading proficiency, the legislation also eliminates the failed literacy practice known as “three cueing” and guarantees that all Florida students receive reading instruction grounded in the science of reading. Additionally, the bill requires all teacher preparation programs to train teachers in the science of reading practices and appropriates $158 million to the Florida Department of Education to replace three-cueing materials with science of reading-aligned materials. Districts also must ensure their reading plans prioritize the placement of highly effective teachers and reading coaches in their schools.
In early grades mathematics, the Florida Department of Education will now identify mathematics intervention programs, curricula and high-quality supplemental materials for classroom use. For the first time, Florida schools will be required to identify students struggling in math and provide systematic and explicit mathematics instruction tailored to the individual student’s needs.
