Section 18A:6-149 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Professional development program established, literacy instruction, Department of Educationa. The Department of Education shall establish a professional development program regarding evidence-based foundational literacy instruction, which shall be available to all school districts at no cost. The program shall be made available to: teaching staff members serving students in preschool through grade six, including school library media specialists serving students in kindergarten through grade six; individuals serving multilingual learners and students with disabilities; and individuals holding an educational services certificate with a reading specialist endorsement, individuals holding an educational services certificate with an early literacy specialist endorsement, and individuals holding an educational services certificate with a speech-language specialist endorsement; and school administrators.b. The program shall be differentiated by grade band. The program shall include, but is not limited to:(1) for teaching staff members serving students in preschool through grade three: (b) phonological and phonemic awareness;(e) vocabulary and comprehension;(2) for teaching staff members serving students in grades four through six: (a) the neurobiology of reading;(3) for school administrators: the design and implementation of high-quality literacy instruction in preschool through grade six.Added by L. 2024 , c. 52, s. 8, eff. 7/1/2025.