Vermont § 2903a - Advisory Council on Literacy [Repealed effective June 30, 2027]

§ 2903a. Advisory Council on Literacy [Repealed effective June 30, 2027]

• (a) Creation. There is created the Advisory Council on Literacy. The Council shall advise the Agency
  of Education, the State Board of Education, and the General Assembly on how to improve
  proficiency outcomes in literacy for students in prekindergarten through grade 12
  and how to sustain those outcomes. (b) Membership. The Council shall be composed of the following 16 members: (1) 10 members who shall serve as ex officio members: (A) the Secretary of Education or designee; (B) a member of the Standards Board for Professional Educators who is knowledgeable in
  licensing requirements for teaching literacy, appointed by the Standards Board; (C) the Executive Director of the Vermont Superintendents Association or designee; (D) the Executive Director of the Vermont School Boards Association or designee; (E) the Executive Director of the Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators
  or designee; (F) the Executive Director of the Vermont Principals’ Association or designee; (G) the Executive Director of the Vermont Independent Schools Association or designee; (H) the Executive Director of the Vermont-National Education Association or designee; (I) the State Librarian or designee; and (J) the Executive Director of the Vermont Curriculum Leaders Association or designee;
  and (2) seven members who shall serve two-year terms: (A) [Repealed.] (B) three teachers, appointed by the Vermont-National Education Association, who teach
  literacy, one of whom shall be a special education literacy teacher and two of whom
  shall teach literacy to students in prekindergarten through grade three; (C) three community members who have struggled with literacy proficiency or supported
  others who have struggled with literacy proficiency, one of whom shall be a high school
  student, appointed by the Agency of Education in consultation with the Vermont Family
  Network; and (D) one member appointed by the Agency of Education who has expertise in working with
  students with dyslexia; and (3) two faculty members of approved educator preparation programs located in Vermont,
  one of whom shall be employed by a private college or university, appointed by the
  Agency of Education in consultation with the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges,
  and one of whom shall be employed by a public college or university, appointed by
  the Agency of Education in consultation with the University of Vermont and State Agricultural
  College and the Vermont State Colleges Corporation. (c) Members with two-year terms. (1) A member with a term limit shall serve a term of two years and until a successor is
  appointed. A term shall begin on January 1 of the year of appointment and run through
  December 31 of the last year of the term. Terms of these members shall be staggered
  so that not all terms expire at the same time. (2) A vacancy created before the expiration of a term shall be filled in the same manner
  as the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. (3) A member with a term limit shall not serve more than two consecutive terms. A member
  appointed to fill a vacancy created before the expiration of a term shall not be deemed
  to have served a term for the purpose of this subdivision. (d) Powers and duties. The Council shall advise the Secretary of Education on how to improve proficiency
  outcomes in literacy for students in prekindergarten through grade 12 and how to sustain
  those outcomes and shall: (1) advise the Secretary on how to: (A) update section 2903 of this title; (B) implement the statewide literacy plan required by section 2903 of this title and whether, based on its implementation, changes should be made to the plan; and (C) maintain the statewide literacy plan; (2) advise the Secretary on what services the Agency should provide to school districts
  to support implementation of the plan and on staffing levels and resources needed
  at the Agency to support the statewide effort to improve literacy; (3) develop a plan for collecting literacy-related data that informs: (A) literacy instructional practices; (B) teacher professional development in the field of literacy; (C) what proficiencies and other skills should be measured through literacy assessments
  and how those literacy assessments are incorporated into local assessment plans; and (D) how to identify school progress in achieving literacy outcomes, including closing
  literacy gaps for students from historically underserved populations; (4) recommend evidence-based best practices for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 literacy instruction
  within the multitiered system of supports required under section 2902 of this title to best improve and sustain literacy proficiency; and (5) review literacy assessments and outcomes and provide ongoing advice as to how to continuously
  improve those outcomes and sustain that improvement. (e) Report. Notwithstanding 2 V.S.A. § 20(d), annually on or before December 15, the Council shall submit a written report to
  the House and Senate Committees on Education with its findings, any recommendations
  for legislative action, and progress toward outcomes identified in this section. The
  report shall contain an executive summary, which shall not exceed two pages. (f) Meetings. (1) The Secretary of Education shall call the first meeting of the Council to occur on
  or before August 1, 2021. (2) The Council shall select a chair from among its members. (3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum. (4) The Council shall meet not more than four times per year. (g) Assistance. The Council shall have the administrative, technical, and legal assistance of the
  Agency of Education. (h) Compensation and reimbursement. Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Council shall be entitled to per diem
  compensation and reimbursement of expenses as permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than four meetings of the Council per year. (Added 2021, No. 28, § 5, eff. May 13, 2021; repealed on June 30, 2024 by 2021, No. 28, § 7; amended 2023, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. May 30, 2024.) § 2903a. Repealed. 2021, No. 28, § 7, eff. June 30, 2027. (Added 2021, No. 28, § 5, eff. May 13, 2021; repealed on June 30, 2024 by 2021, No. 28, § 7; amended 2023, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. May 30, 2024.)