Right now all the teacher circles I know in Missouri are buzzing with the requirements that Senate Bill 681 have created for reading instruction. While most of us see this as a good thing—addressing the reading concerns that affect our readers is beyond necessary—the requirements coming down the pipeline can be overwhelming, particularly for teachers (like me!) who serve older students.

Every learner should have the opportunity to acquire proficient reading skills—a foundational milestone crucial for overall academic success. Senate Bill 681 in Missouri offers robust guidelines for reading instruction across the state that adheres to research. Under this legislation, students are expected to receive explicit instruction in critical components of reading, including the big five: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension.

Senate Bill 681

Missouri Senate Bill 681 lays out several key stipulations regarding reading instruction and its implementation. This post will dive in-depth into the legislation, covering how it impacts student assessment, the development and execution of Reading Success Plans, parent notifications for reading deficiencies, supportive strategies for reading success at home, and more. We’ll also highlight how the bill addresses specific instructional services, progress reporting, and reading proficiency tracking that schools and districts must adhere to.

Understanding this comprehensive guideline will strengthen our shared commitment to nurturing literacy skills, thereby setting every child on the path to reading success.

The Requirements: What Teachers Need to Know

Specific details of Senate Bill 681 can be found in the actual bill starting on approximately page 89. Below are the major point for teachers and districts.

1. Assessment: Start and end each year by testing the reading skills of all students from kindergarten through third grade (and any new kids from K-5). Make sure you’re using an approved state test to determine their reading levels.
2. Reading Success Plans: Put together a tailored plan for any student who’s really struggling with reading. This might be based on their test scores, your observations, a potential risk for dyslexia, or a diagnosis of dyslexia. If someone is a grade or more behind in their reading, they’re going to need one of these plans.
3. Parent Communication: You need to let parents know if their kid is having troubles with reading. This means explaining the problem, what you’re currently doing to help, and additional steps you’re planning. If a student is considered at-risk or diagnosed with dyslexia, you need to clarify how their reading instruction is geared towards their needs.
4. Home Reading Strategies: Share tips with parents and guardians on how they can support their child’s reading progress at home. This could include guidance on home reading routines.
5. Summer Programs: If there’s a summer reading program available, make sure to let families know about it.
6. Retention Discussion: If a third-grader is still struggling with reading by the end of the year, a conversation about repeating the grade should be had with parents or guardians.
7. Reading Success Plans: Implement Reading Success Plans to provide intervention based on the Science of Reading to the students who need it the most. This should include special instruction methods and strategies crafted to address their specific needs.
8. Evidence-Based Instruction: Use a systematic and diagnostic approach based on the Science of Reading to teaching each reading component. This means knowing how to teach kids about speech sounds, the relationship between letters and sounds, syllable division, word composition, grammatical arrangement, and understanding meanings.
9. Progress Reports: Keep parents or guardians updated on their child’s progress at least four times a year.
10. Instruction for Deficient Readers: For kids in K-5 who are really struggling with reading, ensure they get intensive reading instruction in line with the requirements of your school’s reading development initiative.
11. Reporting to the Department: Update the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with your school’s reading proficiency data.
12. School Improvement Plan: Make sure reading proficiency forms an essential part of your school’s ongoing school improvement strategy.

Servicing the Needs of Older Students

There’s no doubt about it, the way we teach reading for our third graders through older learners is set for a big transformation. One of the main things we’ll see changing is a focus on personalized learning. Instead of that one-size-fits-all method, we’ll have to really get to know our students’ reading skills (and deficits), particularly in foundational skills. For many teachers of older students, this will feel uncomfortable. Right now, there will be MANY students who show a substantial deficiency in reading and require a Reading Success Plan. It can feel overwhelming. But, it gives us accountability in doing our best work to ensure that all of our students are given the reading instruction they need.

This new approach also brings transparency to the table. Keeping parents in the loop with regular progress reports will not only let them know where their students skills lie but also help them see how committed we are to their child’s reading success. It’s all hands on deck, and I for one can’t wait to see this fresh approach bring results for our kids.

Aligned Resources

Let’s be clear—Senate Bill 681 requires resources to be systematic, explicit, and scientifically proven to improve reading outcomes for students. Districts should provide these materials for teachers working with all students grades K-5.

I created Teen Foundations to provide teachers with Science of Reading-aligned resources to serve as extensions and supplements to explicit instruction and intervention, based on my role as a Title 1 Reading teacher of older struggling readers. For example, my Growing Bundle Science of Reading Phonics Games for Older Students offers reinforcement activities. *Hint!* One of my favorite ways to use these is for word work during application time OR while I’m doing progress monitoring to be in compliance with my students’ Reading Success Plans!

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