53F-4-203. Early interactive reading software -- Independent evaluator.
(1) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall distribute funds to public schools based on enrollment for students in kindergarten through grade 3 to purchase personalized interactive reading software.
(2) A public school that receives funds described in Subsectionshall use the funds for a student in kindergarten or grade 1, 2, or 3: (1) for intervention for the student if the student is reading below grade level; or for advancement beyond grade level for the student if the student is reading at or above grade level.
(3) On or before August 1 of each year, the state board shall select and contract with an independent evaluator, through a request for proposals process, to act as an independent contractor to evaluate early interactive reading software provided under this section. The state board shall ensure that a contract with an independent evaluator requires the independent evaluator to: evaluate a student's learning gains as a result of using early interactive reading software provided under Subsection; (1) for the evaluation under Subsection, use an assessment that is not developed by a provider of early interactive reading software; and (3)(b)(i) determine the extent to which a public school uses the early interactive reading software. The state board and the independent evaluator selected under Subsectionshall submit a report on the results of the evaluation in accordance with Section. (3)(a) 53E-1-201
(4) An LEA may acquire an analytical software program that: monitors, for an individual school, early intervention interactive reading software use and the associated impact on student performance; and analyzes the information gathered under Subsectionto prescribe individual school usage time to maximize the beneficial impact on student performance. (4)(a)
(5) The state board: may use up to 6% of the appropriation provided under Subsection: (1) to contract with an independent evaluator selected under Subsection; and (3)(a) for administrative costs associated with this section; and shall distribute at least 94% of funds under this section to LEAs in accordance with Subsection. (1)
(6) Nothing in this section or in Sectionorrequires a reading software product to demonstrate the statistically significant effect size described in Subsectionin order to be used as an instructional material. 53E-4-307 53G-11-303 53G-11-303(1)(a)