A 5835: Directs the state librarian to provide guidance regarding evidence-based practices for literacy education to certain libraries.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5835 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. R. CARROLL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the libraries literacy education guidance act The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "libraries 2 literacy education guidance act". 3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 286 to read 4 as follows: 5 § 286. Libraries literacy education guidance. 1. For purposes of this 6 section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 7 (a) "Evidence-based" means the instruction or item described is based 8 on rigorous, reliable, trustworthy and valid scientific evidence and has 9 demonstrated a record of success in addressing reading competency in the 10 areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading 11 fluency and comprehension, including background knowledge of oral 12 language and writing. 13 (b) "Phonemic awareness" means the ability to notice, think about and 14 manipulate individual sounds in spoken syllables and words. 15 (c) "Vocabulary development" means the process of acquiring new words. 16 "Vocabulary development" includes improving all areas of communication, 17 including listening, speaking, reading and writing. 18 (d) "Reading fluency" means the ability to read words, phrases and 19 sentences accurately, at an appropriate speed, and with expression. 20 (e) "Reading comprehension" means a function of word recognition 21 skills and language comprehension skills and shall include having suffi- 22 cient background information and vocabulary in order for the reader to 23 understand the words in front of them. "Reading comprehension" also 24 includes the active process that requires intentional thinking during 25 which meaning is constructed through interactions between the text and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08094-02-5 
 A. 5835 2 1 reader. Comprehension skills are taught explicitly by demonstrating, 2 explaining, modeling and implementing specific cognitive strategies to 3 help beginning readers derive meaning through intentional, problem-solv- 4 ing thinking processes. 5 2. (a) One year after the effective date of this section, the state 6 librarian shall provide guidance regarding evidence-based practices for 7 literacy education for pre-k through grade twelve and adults to every 8 free association, public and hospital library or, with the advice of the 9 appropriate tribal government and library board of trustees, Indian 10 library which receives any portion of the moneys appropriated by the 11 state to aid such libraries, or which is supported in whole or in part 12 by tax levied by any municipality or district. 13 (b) Such guidance shall include but not be limited to curricula, 14 texts, education technology, professional education, and public informa- 15 tional materials. 16 (c) Such guidance shall be updated every two years from the date when 17 such guidance is first issued. 18 (d) Libraries receiving guidance pursuant to this section shall, every 19 eighteen months after such guidance is issued, provide a report to the 20 state librarian on evidence-based practices for pre-k through grade 21 twelve and adults provided, if any, including but not limited to curric- 22 ula, texts, education technology, professional education, and public 23 information materials. This report shall be in a form and meet criteria 24 specified by the state librarian. 25 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.