A 4291: Requires certain teachers who provide literacy instruction obtain a literacy endorsement.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4291 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring certain teachers who provide literacy instruction obtain a literacy endorse- ment The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 3004 of the education law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 7 to read as follows: 3 7. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner is 4 authorized and directed to prescribe regulations establishing a literacy 5 endorsement as a requirement for all certified teachers who provide 6 literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through grade five. 7 Such regulations shall require that teachers receiving certification on 8 and after January first, two thousand twenty-seven who provide literacy 9 instruction to students in kindergarten through grade five obtain a 10 literacy endorsement within three years of receiving certification. For 11 teachers receiving certification before January first, two thousand 12 twenty-seven, the regulations shall require such teachers receive a 13 literacy endorsement on or before January first, two thousand thirty. 14 The literacy endorsement shall require teachers to complete evidence- 15 based science of reading training and other coursework as determined by 16 the commissioner and to pass a literacy instruction assessment demon- 17 strating that the teacher is capable of: 18 (i) effectively teaching foundational reading skills, phonemic aware- 19 ness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension; 20 (ii) implementing reading instruction using high-quality instructional 21 materials; and 22 (iii) providing effective instruction and interventions for students 23 with reading deficiencies, including students with characteristics of 24 dyslexia. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08284-01-5 
 A. 4291 2 1 (b) The commissioner shall require that on and after January first, 2 two thousand twenty-six, all approved educator preparation programs in 3 childhood education and early childhood education include courses neces- 4 sary to obtain a literacy endorsement pursuant to paragraph (a) of this 5 subdivision. 6 (c) The commissioner shall establish a means by which a school 7 district, at the request of a teacher, may receive an exemption to the 8 literacy endorsement for that teacher based on classroom observations 9 and student achievement data demonstrating the knowledge of literacy 10 instruction prescribed in paragraph (a) of this subdivision. 11 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.