Utah

Local control?

Yes, local control. However, states must meet the UT requirements for the science of reading per UT State code (53E-4-307 and 53G-10-306)

Has your state passed legislation and/or non-legislated rule changes related to the science of reading?

Yes. SB 127 (2022)

Does your state have an approved curriculum list?

Yes. SB 127 (2022) requires LEAs to provide and use instructional materials that are evidence-informed for core instruction and evidence-based for intervention and supplemental instruction

• Evidence informed is defined as “developed using high-quality research outside of a controlled setting in the given field, and (ii) includes strategies and activities with a strong scientific basis for use
• Evidence-based is defined as “means that a strategy demonstrates a statistically significant effect, of at least a 0.40 effect size, on improving student outcomes based on: (i) strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study or (ii) moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study

Current Draft Curriculum List which includes a link to the checklist for core curriculum and guidance for intervention curriculum: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15FCx_oyxI0e9ML3jKjzgh5nWDe49tq_ksohrNN3YH8M/edit?usp=sharing 

Curriculum Checklists to review instructional materials:

Was evidence-aligned reading instruction a consideration for the curriculum review?

Curriculum Checklists to review instructional materials:

Please describe any other instructional-materials work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable

USBE shares a Quarter Brief with legislators and stakeholder groups throughout the year.

Does your state mandate or provide guidance on early screening?

Screening Assessment:

State code 53E-4-307  Board Rule R277-406 requires all LEAs to administer the Acadience Reading Screening Assessments to all K-3 students three times annually. Following each assessment, LEAs must inform parents of their child’s performance.

Diagnostic Assessments and Interventions:

Furthering these requirements, SB 127 (2022) obligates LEAs to provide diagnostic assessments and targeted support for K-3 students who score below or well below benchmark on the Acadience Reading screener. This bill mandates that these students receive specific, focused, and individualized interventions or tutoring to improve their reading skills.

Progress Monitoring:

SB 127 also requires LEAs to progress monitor these students using the Acadience Reading progress monitoring tools. The frequency of this monitoring is based on the student’s performance:

• Students scoring well below benchmark should be monitored every 1-2 weeks.
• Students scoring below benchmark should be monitored every 2-4 weeks.

This continuous monitoring helps measure the effectiveness of the interventions and ensures students are making progress toward becoming proficient readers.

Please describe any other assessment work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable

To support LEAs with these new requirements, the USBE has provided a comprehensive guidance document titled, Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment and Progress Monitoring. 

This resource is designed to help LEAs effectively identify and implement appropriate diagnostic assessments and progress monitoring tools to meet the needs of their K-3 students.

Does your state have policy or guidance related to MTSS that incorporates information on the science of reading and/or evidence-based literacy practices?

Yes, Utah has a P-12 Literacy Framework that serves as a guide for Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and incorporates evidence-based literacy practices. The framework emphasizes the use of evidence-based instructional strategies, tools, and resources to improve literacy outcomes for students.

This guidance document is designed to help educators evaluate, refine, and monitor the systems and practices necessary to achieve better literacy outcomes for students.

Does your state have policy or guidance related to instruction and/or professional development

Yes, the state has policies and guidance related to both instruction and professional learning.

USBE is required to offer a variety of professional learning opportunities to support early literacy.

Professional Learning Requirements and Opportunities:

• Science of Reading Professional Learning: The USBE must provide grants to LEAs to fund required LETRS training for all K-3 general and special education teachers, elementary school administrators, school psychologists, and literacy coaches. (required)
• Change Management: USBE must provide professional learning in change management in literacy for elementary principals, principal supervisors, a member of the LEA’s leadership, and the literacy specialist. (required)
• Literacy Coaches: USBE provides professional learning support for literacy coaches in areas such as adult learning, job-embedded coaching, and family engagement. (optional)
• Regional Consultants: USBE provides professional learning regional consultants to help LEAs design and monitor professional learning in early literacy that aligns with state standards. (optional)
• Collective Efficacy: USBE offers statewide professional learning to support the use of collective efficacy in literacy, which includes the implementation of professional learning communities and school leadership teams through. (optional)
• Community and Parent Engagement: USBE provides training and coaching to community, school, and parent engagement coordinators. (optional)

Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading?

Guidance Documents:

Please describe any grant work that names the science of reading and/or evidence-aligned instruction including links, where applicable

We no longer have any grants available to LEAs to support the science of reading and/or evidence-aligned instruction.

Has your state reviewed standards for alignment to the science of reading?

Yes, Utah’s ELA Standards that were approved in April 2023 and align to the science of reading: https://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/elaelementary/_eleelementary_/EnglishLanguageArtsStandards.pdf

Does your state have guidance or resources for families related to the science of reading?

We have a repository of resources available to all educators and parents.

Do you have policy or guidance regarding how to leverage evidence-based practices to support secondary students?

No.

Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading and Multilingual learners?

Not specifically.

Does your state have licensure or program approval criteria to ensure Educator Preparation Programs are aligned to the science of reading?

Yes, the state has licensure and program approval criteria to ensure Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) are aligned with the science of reading. These requirements were mandated through SB 127 (2022) and HB 114 (2020).

Here are the key components of the state’s alignment strategy:

Educator Licensure Requirements:

• Mandatory Assessment: Teacher candidates earning a preschool, elementary, or special education license must pass the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFORA) with a score of 240 or higher to obtain their license (passed in 2020).
• Competency Pathway: USBE is required to establish exemptions for this assessment and develop an alternative pathway for candidates to demonstrate competency in the science of reading.
• Funding for Testing: EPPs must prepare teacher candidates to pass the UFORA. The USBE provides grants to EPPs to cover the cost of each eligible candidate’s first attempt.

EPP Program Alignment and Accountability:

• Instruction in Science of Reading: USBE is required to design competencies for EPPs to mandate that they provide instruction in the science of reading within their programs.
• Faculty Expertise: The state provides a 75%/25% matching fund split to state institutions of higher education with EPPs to assist in hiring an additional faculty member who has training in the science of reading and instruction.
• Monitoring and Support: USBE is required to monitor the accreditation of university programs regarding their science of reading preparation.
  • USBE must also develop a system of support for programs that have low passage rates on the UFORA for two consecutive years.

Do you have a “contact us” website that we can share publicly on TRL Compass?

English Language Arts Team contact information can be found at:

https://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/englishlanguagearts/

Please describe and link to any other work you would like to share that relates to the science of reading

SB 127 (2022) also establishes several initiatives focused on accountability, direct support, and resource creation to boost early literacy outcomes across the state:

Support, Accountability, and Resource Creation:

• Recognition and Support: The USBE is required to formally recognize LEAs excelling in early literacy outcomes.
• Direct Coaching: USBE must supply State Literacy Coaches to the lowest performing schools to provide intensive, on-site assistance.
• Expert Guidance: The bill creates an expert panel for the science of reading to serve as a resource for the USBE and LEAs in supporting effective early literacy practices.
• Family Engagement: USBE is required to contract with an organization to annually provide personal, age-appropriate books for home use to K-3 students and families in low-income schools.