Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 20. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 7. SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Part 18. Early Literacy Targeted Interventions

Early Literacy Targeted Interventions -- Funding -- Reporting

20-7-1804. Early literacy targeted interventions -- funding -- reporting. (1) An eligible child participating in a classroom-based program pursuant to 20-7-1803(5) must be included in enrollment counts for the purpose of ANB calculations in the manner described in 20-9-311.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall pay for the costs for an eligible child participating in a home-based program pursuant to 20-7-1803(6) from funds appropriated for this purpose. The cost for each child may not exceed $1,000 a year. If the annual appropriation for this program is not sufficient to fully fund all eligible children participating in the home-based program, the superintendent shall limit participation on a first-come, first-served basis.

(3) An eligible child participating in a jumpstart program pursuant to 20-7-1803(7) must be counted as quarter-time enrollment for the purpose of ANB calculations pursuant to 20-9-311.

(4) Trustees offering an early literacy targeted intervention shall closely monitor the program and report annually to the superintendent of public instruction on the efficacy of the program no later than July 15. The superintendent shall collaborate with trustees in maximizing the efficiency of fulfilling this reporting requirement. The report must include anonymized information on student progress, including the student's performance on:

(a) the evaluation methodology that led to eligibility for the program;

(b) any formative assessments administered;

(c) if administered, the evaluation methodology at the end of the school year in which intervention was provided; and

(d) any statewide reading assessments administered in grades 4 through 6.

(5) Pursuant to 20-7-104, the superintendent of public instruction shall monitor early literacy targeted interventions and gather data to evaluate the efficacy of the interventions while protecting the privacy rights of students and families. The superintendent shall report, in accordance with 5-11-210, to the education interim committee and the education interim budget committee no later than September 1 annually. The report must contain a comparison analysis by intervention type, including no intervention, and must include:

(a) the number of participating and nonparticipating children and districts;

(b) longitudinal data displaying the proficiency level of participating and nonparticipating children at each grade level following participation in an intervention;

(c) at a time when the data is available, long-term outcome data for participants and nonparticipants, including but not limited to:

(i) assessment data in 8th grade and high school;

(ii) high school graduation rates; and

(iii) postsecondary participation rates; and

(d) a list of schools offering one or more targeted interventions and a list of the matched comparable nonparticipating schools that on the most recent 4th grade statewide reading assessment:

(i) had 75% or more of its students score at proficient or above; or

(ii) improved the percentage of students scoring at proficient or above by 10 or more percentage points.

History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 608, L. 2023.