Welcome to Move On When Reading
Welcome to Move On When Reading
Arizona’s Move On When Reading policy is designed to provide students with evidence-based, effective reading instruction in kindergarten through third grade in order to position them for success as they progress through school, college, and career. The legislation in A.R.S §15-701, A.R.S §15-704, and A.R.S §15-211 (as amended by HB2026) explains the requirements for pupil promotion, early literacy instruction, and accountability for student achievement in reading.
2024 Board Rule MOWR Assessment Update - If you have questions about the 2024 Board Rule on Assessment (item F.2.c.i.), please reach out to the Assessment team.
Finding Your Way Around: Navigating the Move On When Reading Webpage
MOVE ON WHEN READING OVERVIEW 2024-2025
A current overview of MOWR for schools and districts, including school literacy plans, student retention and exemptions, required interventions, and parent communication.
Move On When Reading Video (English) | Move On When Reading Video (Spanish)
The brief video provides a parent-friendly overview of the importance of K-3 reading and of the Move On When Reading program. They are available in English and Spanish and are perfect for communicating with parents about Move On When Reading.
2024-2025 Submission Requirements
Per House Bill 2026, all public schools which service kindergarten through third-grade students will submit a literacy plan and triannual screener data. For step-by-step guidance, visit our Submissions page. For a K-3 Literacy Plan Checklist and all key criteria, visit our Administrators page.
All K-3 Schools and FY24/25 MOWR Funds
On or before December 15, the Department of Education shall submit an annual report on the K-3 reading program to the governor, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives and shall provide a copy of this annual report to the secretary of state, the state board of education and the chairpersons of the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives.
A.R.S §15-701 Promotion/Retention/Parent Notification - Full text of bill
Key Points:
A. (2a-b) requires that an Arizona student not be promoted from the third grade if the student does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills on the reading portion of the statewide assessment.
A third-grader who does not demonstrate sufficient reading skills may be promoted to fourth grade if the student:
(i) Is an English learner or a limited English proficient student as defined in section 15-751 and has had fewer than THREE (amended by HB2026) years of English language instruction.
(ii) Is in the (1) process of a special education referral or evaluation for placement in special education, or (2) has been diagnosed with a significant reading impairment, including dyslexia, or (3) is a child with a disability as defined in section 15-761 and the IEP team agrees promotion is appropriate.
(iii) Demonstrates sufficient reading skills or adequate progress toward sufficient reading skills of the 3rd-grade reading standards through a collection of reading assessments.
(iv) Receives intervention and remedial services during the summer or subsequent year and demonstrates sufficient reading progress.
B. (1-6) To ensure early parent communication and involvement, any K-3 student at risk of reading below grade level shall receive specific written notification of the reading deficiency within three weeks after identifying the reading deficiency.
A.R.S §15-704 Instruction/Curriculum/Assessment/Teacher Training - Full Text of Bill
Key Points:
A. Each school shall select and administer screening, ongoing diagnostic, and classroom-based instructional reading assessments to monitor student progress and plan evidence-based appropriate, and effective instruction and/or intervention for every K-3 student.
B. On or before July 1, 2022, the Department of Education shall develop a dyslexia screening plan that meets all of the following requirements:
1. Ensures that within forty-five calendar days after the beginning of each school year or within forty-five calendar days after a student enrollment occurs after the first day of school, every student who is enrolled in a kindergarten program or grade one in a public school in this state is screened for indicators of dyslexia.
4. Ensures that screening for indicators of dyslexia includes the following: (a) Phonological and phonemic awareness. (b) Rapid naming skills. (c) Correspondence between sounds and letters. (d) Nonsense word fluency. (e) Sound symbol recognition.
D. Each K-3 district or charter shall adopt an evidence-based reading curriculum that includes the essential components of reading instruction. All K-3 schools must provide ongoing teacher training based on evidence-based reading research.
E. Devote reasonable amounts of time to explicit evidence-based core reading instruction and intensive, evidence-based reading instruction until pupils meet proficiency on the reading standards.
A.R.S §15-211 Dyslexia Training Designee/Submission/Budget - Full Text of Bill
Key Points:
C. Each school district and charter school shall ensure that at least one kindergarten through third-grade teacher in each school has received training related to dyslexia that complies with the requirements prescribed in sections 15-219
D. All districts and charter schools shall submit a K-3 Literacy Plan and student achievement data to the Arizona Department of Education annually (as amended by HB2026) by October 1.
E. The Arizona State Legislature annually appropriates approximately $45 million to K-3 elementary schools for the purpose of supporting effective early reading instruction. This money must only be used for instructional purposes intended to improve the reading proficiency of students in kindergarten through grade three with particular emphasis on early prevention in kindergarten and grades one and two.
The Nation's Report Card is the largest ongoing assessment of what U.S. students know and can do. A sampling of Arizona's 4th graders participate in this assessment every two years and provides a comparison of reading performance to all other states.
In 2022, the average score of fourth-grade students in Arizona was 215. This was not significantly different from the average score of 216 for public school students in the nation. Only 8 states performed significantly higher than Arizona. Arizona's State Profile
All kindergarten through 3rd-grade students are administered a universal screening assessment to screen for risk and the level of support needed. This data is self-reported to the ADE English Language Arts team each year.
2020-2021 Statewide Aggregate Screening Data
Celebrating Literacy Success
Third-Grade Reading Success: Decoding What Works Through a partnership with Read on Arizona and the Arizona Department of Education, five Arizona schools were highlighted in a case study project to share what they are doing to stimulate growth in reading for third-grade students. Each of the schools highlighted shares their story of growth, improvement, and resolve to do what is needed for their students to experience success. The stories are an inspiration of the great things happening in schools across Arizona.
Schools Highlighted:
- Agua Caliente Elementary and Tanque Verde Elementary
- Legacy Traditional School – Queen Creek
- Lincoln Elementary
- Roosevelt School
- Wildflower School
- O.C. Johnson Elementary Preschool
Preschool Success: Decoding What Works - Read On Arizona examined relevant data to identify schools that have demonstrated significant improvement in reading outcomes. And because the learning that happens before children start kindergarten prepares them for reading success, we also examined early childhood formative assessment data, including language and literacy, from over 500 preschool and early learning programs. Statewide, the percentage of preschoolers meeting age-level expectations dipped from 2019 to 2022, but our review identified preschool sites showing growth in these important school readiness measures.
Read On Arizona's MapLIT Read On Arizona partners created MapLIT, an interactive mapping tool as a “one-stop” resource to identify key data sets (census, school, health, family engagement) that impact early literacy outcomes in communities. Read On Arizona’s MapLIT provides communities with graphic views of select data for all Arizona public/charter elementary school and preschool site locations.
**The views and opinions expressed in any third-party resource do not necessarily reflect those of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and do not imply an endorsement by ADE.
