Florida

The purpose of this document is to capture state-by-state information of policy and guidelines related to the science of reading / evidence-based reading instruction to be presented on The Reading League Compass, a website of reliable and reputable guidance and resources for targeted stakeholder groups.

Local control?

Yes

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

Yes. Florida House Bill (HB) 7039 (2023) requires the following:

• All reading instruction must be grounded in the science of reading.
• Credit or points for literacy/or evidence-based instruction and interventions must be grounded in the science of reading when renewing a professional certificate.
• Teacher candidates must receive instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading.

In addition, HB 7039 prohibits the use of three-cuing to teach word reading or as a basis for teaching word reading.

Does your state have an approved curriculum list?

Yes. Florida has adopted a mandatory list of high-quality English Language Arts (ELA) materials.

In addition, HB 7039 requires FLDOE to provide a list of state examined and approved comprehensive reading and intervention programs.

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

Yes. In 2017, section(s). 1001.215, Florida Statutes (F.S.) was amended to require that the Just Read, Florida! Office work with the Florida Center for Reading Research to identify scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instructional and intervention programs.

Link for the Policies and Procedures Specifications for the Florida Instructional Materials Adoption:

All rubrics for the current ELA instructional materials process can be viewed here. Scroll to 2024-2025 Adoption Year and then look under K-12 English Language Arts and K-3 English Language Arts Intervention Materials.

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

Each district in Florida must submit a Comprehensive Evidence-based Reading Plan (C.E.R.P.) annually that details evidence levels as determined by the 2015 Every Students Succeeds Act (E.S.S.A.) for all assessments, materials and practices

Does your state mandate or provide guidance on early screening?

Yes. Florida requires all children birth to 5 who participate in the School Readiness Program to receive an annual developmental screening via the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ: SE-2). This is done through agencies such as Child Find and Head Start/Early Head Start

In addition, all Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs are required (by s. 1002.68, F.S.) to implement the coordinated screening and progress monitoring system known as the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) Star Early Literacy. FAST Star Early Literacy assesses student achievement of the performance standards in early literacy and mathematics.

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. The Florida Department of Education and the University of South Florida partnered to create the Florida Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Project, which indicates that schools must develop a plan for and implement evidence-based strategies to attain MTSS goals

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

Yes. Florida HB 7039 requires the following: all reading instruction must be grounded in the science of reading.

House Bill 7039 also requires that training for reading coaches, classroom teachers and school administrators be based on the science of reading and meet the following requirements:

• Include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the primary instructional strategy for word reading.
• Instructional strategies included in the training may not employ the three-cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading.
• Instructional strategies may include visual information and strategies which improve background and experiential knowledge, add context and increase oral language and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to teach word reading.

HB 7039 also requires contracted training for teaching foundational skills to be based on the science of reading and meet the following requirements:

• Include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the primary instructional strategy for word reading.
• Instructional strategies included in the training may not employ the three-cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading.
• Instructional strategies may include visual information and strategies which improve background and experiential knowledge, add context and increase oral language and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to teach word reading.

Each district in Florida must submit a Comprehensive Evidence-based Reading Plan (CERP) annually in which they indicate their plan for professional development of the B.E.S.T. Standards for ELA that is grounded in the science of reading. In addition, districts are required in their CERP to indicate how they have provided administrators regular professional learning sessions on the science of reading and evidence-based literacy instruction.

The following certificate renewal requirement is also outlined in State Board Rule 6A-4.0051(7):

(7) Special provisions for training in the instruction of reading for grades K-6.

(a) As a component of the credit requirements specified under paragraph (1)(a) of this rule, an educator whose application for renewal of a certificate with a beginning validity date of July 1, 2020, or thereafter, as specified in this rule, must have earned at least two (2) college credits, forty (40) inservice points, or a combination thereof, in evidence-based instruction and interventions grounded in the science of reading per Rule 6A-6.053, F.A.C., specifically designed for students with characteristics of dyslexia, including the use of explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction, developing phonological and phonemic awareness, decoding, and implementing multisensory intervention strategies if the educator is renewing any of the following coverages: Elementary Education (K-6), Prekindergarten/Primary Education (age 3 through grade 3), Elementary Education (grades 1-6), Primary Education (grades K-3), English (grades 1-6), Middle Grades English (grades 5-9), Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum (grades 5-9), English (6-12), Exceptional Student Education (grades K-12) (renewal beginning with a validity date of July 1, 2025), Reading (K-12), Reading (Endorsement), and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (grades K-12).

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

Yes. FDOE has developed the following guidance document on the science of reading:

• ScienceReadK-5ELARubric.pdf (fldoe.org)
• 2024-2025 K-12 ELA Adoption
• Link for 2024-2025 K-3 ELA Intervention Adoption
• Other rubrics/item specifications for these adoptions can be found here.

Link for professional learning materials based on the science of reading: Professional Learning for B.E.S.T. ELA Standards Implementation (fldoe.org)

FDOE has developed a 5-hour science of reading course for educators.

FDOE has worked with UF Lastinger Center to develop and provide access to an online repository of digital science of reading materials and resources.

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

Florida offers the High-Impact Reading Interventions and Targeted Supports (H.I.I.T.S.) grant. The purpose of this funding is to provide supplemental support to promote high-quality reading strategies and literacy professional development based in the science of reading. (Grant ends 9/30/2024)

Florida also offered the Reading Tutoring for K-3 Students grant. The purpose of this funding is to support direct student tutoring in reading to focus on closing achievement gaps and accelerating student reading achievement. The tutoring would include programs that deploy trained tutors to classrooms across the state to support students with reading. Tutoring programs will engage research-based practices and implement literacy rich schedules for identified students that would benefit from these additional supports. The goal is to provide targeted individual or small group tutoring and other student level instruction and support to improve grade level reading by the end of third grade. The Applicants must attend training provided by the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) and utilize the tutoring training materials and resources to train recruited tutors to ensure evidence-based comprehensive resources are utilized to effectively train and support tutors. (Grant ended on 9/30/2023)

Florida also offers the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant (CLSD), the purpose of which is to award subgrants to local education agencies to build capacity of knowledge and implementation of evidence-based practices.

Florida also utilizes the GAA funded Science of Reading Literacy and Tutoring grant (Grant ended on 6/30/2024).

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

Yes, Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for English Language Arts are aligned to the science of reading.

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

Yes. Regional Literacy Institutes are provided to secondary educators (teachers, coaches, administrators) annually during the summer, provided by Just Read, Florida!. Florida has also developed 6-12 Literacy Practice Profiles, which allows for common language around the best instructional practices. In addition, the mandatory annual Comprehensive Evidence-based Reading Plan that each district must submit requires listing of Professional Learning in “B.E.S.T. ELA standards and evidence-based reading programs” for all grade levels. The secondary literacy micro-credential also prepares secondary instructional personnel to apply evidence-based practices.

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

Yes. Florida State House Bill 7039 requires that all teacher prep programs train teachers in science of reading practices.

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

Use the interactive state map to find descriptions of state-level policy adoption, guidance, and practices related to the science of reading. State policy may include legislation incorporating training or practices related to the science of reading or state education agency guidance regarding policy, professional development, curricula, instruction, or assessment.

Filter by specific topic area(s) to find state-specific work: 

The Reading League expresses gratitude to our collaborators and associates within the state education agencies for sharing their state-specific data. This data will undergo semi-annual updates, contingent upon the availability and resources of the respective state agencies. For any inquiries, clarifications, or updates, please reach out to compass@thereadingleague.org.