The Board of Education recognizes that reading and other language arts constitute the basic foundation for learning in other areas of study. Students should develop an appreciation for literature and for reading as a means to acquire knowledge. They also should develop oral and written language skills that enable them to effectively communicate with others.
\n\nThe Board desires to offer a comprehensive, balanced reading/language arts program that ensures all students have the skills necessary to read fluently and for meaning. The program shall integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities in order to build effective communication skills.
\n\nFor each grade level, the Board shall adopt academic standards in reading, speaking, and writing, including spelling and grammar, that meet or exceed state standards. The district's program also shall be aligned with the state framework for reading/language arts instruction.
\n\nTeachers are encouraged to use a variety of instructional strategies to accommodate the varying needs of students.
\n\nThe Superintendent or designee shall provide professional development opportunities that are designed to provide instructional staff with knowledge about how students develop language skills, the ability to analyze students' developing literacy, and the ability to draw from a variety of instructional strategies and materials.
\n\nThe Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district's reading/language arts program offers sufficient access to textbooks and other instructional materials of varying levels of difficulty, including fiction and nonfiction works, so that students are continually reading at an appropriate level. In addition, technology should be available to support all areas of literacy.
\n\nThe Superintendent or designee shall regularly provide the Board with data from state and district reading assessments and program evaluations to enable the Board to monitor program effectiveness.
\n\nGrades K-3
\n\nThe goal of the district's early literacy program shall be to ensure that students are able to read fluently and at grade level by the end of third grade. To reach this goal, the Superintendent or designee shall design a balanced and comprehensive reading/language arts program with the following components:
\n\nGrades 4-8
\n\nThe Board recognizes that reading/language arts instruction is an integral component of the curriculum at all grade levels. Continuous progress in fluency and comprehension shall be the goal of reading/language arts instruction in grades 4-8.
\n\nThe program in these grades shall promote reading for subject matter comprehension, developing understanding of progressively more advanced reading material, analyzing and discussing a variety of reading materials, increasing the frequency of reading, developing more complex writing skills with attention to composition and vocabulary, and developing other communications skills.
\n\nWhen students in these grades do not have fully developed reading/language arts skills, the Superintendent or designee shall make resources available to assist them in reaching a reading level sufficient to meet the demands of grade-level material. Staff at all grade levels and in every subject shall take responsibility for supporting and expanding students' literacy skills.
\n\nSupplementary Reading Instruction for Grades K-4
\n\nWhen state funding is available, the Board may offer students in grades K-4 increased instructional opportunities before or after school and/or outside the regular school session to assist those students who are experiencing difficulty learning to read and to increase the reading skills and reading enjoyment of all students.
\n\n\n", "contentText": "The Board of Education recognizes that reading and other language arts constitute the basic foundation for learning in other areas of study. Students should develop an appreciation for literature and for reading as a means to acquire knowledge. They also should develop oral and written language skills that enable them to effectively communicate with others.\n\nThe Board desires to offer a comprehensive, balanced reading/language arts program that ensures all students have the skills necessary to read fluently and for meaning. The program shall integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities in order to build effective communication skills.\n\nFor each grade level, the Board shall adopt academic standards in reading, speaking, and writing, including spelling and grammar, that meet or exceed state standards. The district's program also shall be aligned with the state framework for reading/language arts instruction.\n\nTeachers are encouraged to use a variety of instructional strategies to accommodate the varying needs of students.\n\nThe Superintendent or designee shall provide professional development opportunities that are designed to provide instructional staff with knowledge about how students develop language skills, the ability to analyze students' developing literacy, and the ability to draw from a variety of instructional strategies and materials.\n\nThe Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district's reading/language arts program offers sufficient access to textbooks and other instructional materials of varying levels of difficulty, including fiction and nonfiction works, so that students are continually reading at an appropriate level. In addition, technology should be available to support all areas of literacy.\n\nThe Superintendent or designee shall regularly provide the Board with data from state and district reading assessments and program evaluations to enable the Board to monitor program effectiveness.\n\nGrades K-3\n\nThe goal of the district's early literacy program shall be to ensure that students are able to read fluently and at grade level by the end of third grade. To reach this goal, the Superintendent or designee shall design a balanced and comprehensive reading/language arts program with the following components:\n\n- Explicit skill development for beginning readers that includes phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding skills, and sufficient practice and repetition of these skills\n\n- A strong literature, language, and comprehension program that includes a balance of oral and written language\n\n- Ongoing diagnosis of students' skills\n\n- An early intervention program that provides assistance to students at risk of not meeting reading standards.\n\nGrades 4-8\n\nThe Board recognizes that reading/language arts instruction is an integral component of the curriculum at all grade levels. Continuous progress in fluency and comprehension shall be the goal of reading/language arts instruction in grades 4-8.\n\nThe program in these grades shall promote reading for subject matter comprehension, developing understanding of progressively more advanced reading material, analyzing and discussing a variety of reading materials, increasing the frequency of reading, developing more complex writing skills with attention to composition and vocabulary, and developing other communications skills.\n\nWhen students in these grades do not have fully developed reading/language arts skills, the Superintendent or designee shall make resources available to assist them in reaching a reading level sufficient to meet the demands of grade-level material. Staff at all grade levels and in every subject shall take responsibility for supporting and expanding students' literacy skills.\n\nSupplementary Reading Instruction for Grades K-4\n\nWhen state funding is available, the Board may offer students in grades K-4 increased instructional opportunities before or after school and/or outside the regular school session to assist those students who are experiencing difficulty learning to read and to increase the reading skills and reading enjoyment of all students.", "footnotes": [ { "type": "State", "references": [ { "code": "5 CCR 11980-11985.6", "description": "Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program (AB 466 trainings)", "url": "https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Browse/Home/California/CaliforniaCodeofRegulations?guid=I3D24ED304C6911EC93A8000D3A7C4BC3&transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29#I3D2737234C6911EC93A8000D3A7C4BC3" }, { "code": "5 CCR 11991-11991.2", "description": "Reading First achievement index", "url": "https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Browse/Home/California/CaliforniaCodeofRegulations?guid=I3DC0B8004C6911EC93A8000D3A7C4BC3&transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29#I3DC329034C6911EC93A8000D3A7C4BC3" }, { "code": "Ed. Code 33530-33548", "description": "Instructional Quality Commission", "url": "" }, { "code": "Ed. Code 44755-44757.5", "description": "Teacher Reading Instruction Development Program, K-3", "url": "" }, { "code": "Ed. Code 51210", "description": "Course of study for grades 1-6", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=51210." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 51220", "description": "Course of study for grades 7-12", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=51220." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 51225.3", "description": "High school graduation requirements", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=51225.3." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 53008", "description": "Screening for risk of reading difficulties", "url": "" }, { "code": "Ed. Code 60119", "description": "Sufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials; hearing and resolution", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&division=4.&title=2.&part=33.&chapter=1.&article=7." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 60200.4", "description": "Fundamental skills", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=60200.4." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 60207", "description": "Curriculum frameworks", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=60207." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 60350-60352", "description": "Core reading program instructional materials", "url": "" }, { "code": "Ed. Code 60605", "description": "State-adopted content and performance standards in core curricular areas", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=60605." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 60605.8", "description": "Common Core standards", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=60605.8." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 99220-99221", "description": "California Reading Professional Development Institutes", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&division=14.&title=3.&part=65.&chapter=5.&article=2." }, { "code": "Ed. Code 99230-99242", "description": "Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program (AB 466 trainings)", "url": "" } ] }, { "type": "Federal", "references": [ { "code": "20 USC 6381-6381k", "description": "Even Start Family Literacy Program", "url": "" }, { "code": "20 USC 6383", "description": "Improving literacy through school libraries", "url": "" } ] }, { "type": "Management Resources", "references": [ { "code": "California Department of Education Publication", "description": "California Comprehensive State Literacy Plan (Draft), rev. May 2025", "url": "https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/pl/documents/slpdraftmay2025.docx" }, { "code": "California Department of Education Publication", "description": "English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2014", "url": "https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/cf/elaeldfrmwrksbeadopted.asp" }, { "code": "California Department of Education Publication", "description": "Recommended Literature: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve", "url": "https://www.cde.ca.gov/" }, { "code": "California Department of Education Publication", "description": "California Common Core State Standards: English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, rev. March 2013", "url": "https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf" }, { "code": "Website", "description": "CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services", "url": "https://legalservices.csba.org/" }, { "code": "Website", "description": "CSBA", "url": "http://www.csba.org" }, { "code": "Website", "description": "California Department of Education", "url": "http://www.cde.ca.gov" } ] } ], "crossRefs": [ { "code": "4131", "title": "Staff Development", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "4131", "title": "Staff Development", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "4222", "title": "Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "4231", "title": "Staff Development", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "4331", "title": "Staff Development", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "5148.2", "title": "Before/After School Programs", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "5148.2", "title": "Before/After School Programs", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6011", "title": "Academic Standards", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6141", "title": "Curriculum Development And Evaluation", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6142.94", "title": "History-Social Science Instruction", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6143", "title": "Courses Of Study", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6143", "title": "Courses Of Study", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6161.1", "title": "Selection And Evaluation Of Instructional Materials", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6161.1", "title": "Selection And Evaluation Of Instructional Materials", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6161.11", "title": "Supplementary Instructional Materials", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6162.5", "title": "Student Assessment", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6162.51", "title": "State Academic Achievement Tests", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6163.1", "title": "Library Media Centers", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6172", "title": "Gifted And Talented Student Program", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6174", "title": "Education For English Learners", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6174", "title": "Education For English Learners", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6174-E PDF(1)", "title": "Education For English Learners - Education For English Language Learners", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6177", "title": "Summer Learning Programs", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6179", "title": "Supplemental Instruction", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6179", "title": "Supplemental Instruction", "type": "AR" }, { "code": "6190", "title": "Evaluation Of The Instructional Program", "type": "AR" } ], "attachments": [] }