(A) Beginning with the 2025-2026 School Year, the board shall approve no more than five reliable and valid universal reading screeners for selection and use by districts for kindergarten through fifth grade and shall use the same process as required by Section 59-18-310 to ensure the validity and reliability of the instruments and to periodically reevaluate approved instruments. All districts shall use one of the approved universal reading screeners.(B) Each approved universal reading screener must:(1) provide screening and diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student progress in reading;(2) measure, at minimum, foundational literacy skills;(3) identify students who have a reading deficiency, including identifying students with characteristics of dyslexia; and(4) meet the criteria of a nationally normed formative assessment.(C) In determining which instrument to approve, the board shall consider the following factors:(1) the time required to conduct the assessments with the intention of minimizing the impact on instructional time;(2) the level of integration of assessment results with instructional supports offered to teachers and students;(3) the timeliness in reporting assessment results to teachers, administrators, and parents; and(4) the recommendation of the department.(D) In order to determine student progression in reading, a district shall administer a universal reading screener three times per school year with the first administration occurring within the first forty-five days of school, the second administration occurring at the midpoint of the school year, and the third administration occurring by the end of the school year. Within fifteen days of each administration, the district shall notify the parent or guardian regarding the performance of their student and whether the student may be considered for retention. For each student demonstrating literacy deficiencies and not meeting grade-level proficiencies based on the data received from the administration of the universal reading screeners, the district shall create an individualized reading plan and include a copy in the notification to the parent or guardian.(E) The department shall:(1) provide technical assistance and support to districts and classroom teachers in administering universal reading screeners and in understanding the results so teachers are able to provide appropriate, scientifically based interventions;(2) require districts and approved universal reading screeners to annually submit data as requested by the department for purposes of determining whether the screening instruments are accurately identifying students in need;(3) reimburse districts for the cost of the universal reading screener upon receipt of the data as requested by the department as funding allows;(4) annually report, on a grade-level basis, data received from districts and approved universal reading screeners; and(5) implement an online reporting system to monitor the effectiveness of universal reading screeners which must:(a) track, screen, and monitor the reading progress of students in kindergarten through third grade toward reading proficiency;(b) create a consistent statewide reporting mechanism to identify students with a reading deficiency to include students with characteristics of dyslexia; and(c) be used to receive the annual reporting requirements pursuant to Section 59-33-540.(F) Administration of a universal reading screener may be replaced with an alternative assessment and progress monitoring tool for students who qualify for an alternative assessment based on a cognitive disability in kindergarten through third grade.Added by 2024 S.C. Acts, Act No. 114 (SB 418),s 6, eff. 3/11/2024.