literacy needs of children at risk for 
delayed development and later aca-
demic difficulties; and 
(II) teachers identify student lit-
eracy needs and teach literacy across 
the content areas so that the teachers 
can meet the needs of students read-
ing and writing below grade level; and 
(iii) to work cooperatively and collabo-
ratively with other professionals in plan-
ning programs to help early learning pro-
viders and teachers teach literacy across 
content areas so that the early learning 
providers and teachers can meet the needs 
of diverse learners, including children with 
disabilities, English language learners, and 
students who are reading at grade level. 
(14) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’— 
(A) has the meaning given to that term in 
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965; and 
(B) includes any public charter school that 
constitutes a local educational agency under 
State law. 
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(15) MULTITIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS.—The 
term ‘‘multitier system of supports’’ means a com-
prehensive system of differentiated supports that in-
cludes evidence-based instruction, universal screen-
ing, progress monitoring, formative assessment, and 
evidence-based interventions matched to student 
needs, and educational decisionmaking using student 
outcome data. 
(16) READING.—The term ‘‘reading’’ means a 
complex system of deriving meaning from print that 
requires all of the following: 
(A) The skills and knowledge to under-
stand how phonemes, or speech sounds, are 
connected to print. 
(B) The ability to decode unfamiliar words. 
(C) The ability to read fluently. 
(D) Sufficient background information and 
vocabulary to foster reading comprehension. 
(E) The development of appropriate active 
strategies to construct meaning from print. 
(F) The development and maintenance of a 
motivation to read. 
(17) SCHOOL LEADER.—The term ‘‘school lead-
er’’ means an individual who— 
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(A) is an employee or officer of a school; 
and 
(B) is responsible for— 
(i) the school’s performance; and 
(ii) the daily instructional and mana-
gerial operations of the school. 
(18) SCIENTIFICALLY VALID RESEARCH.—The 
term ‘‘scientifically valid research’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 200 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021). 
(19) 
SCREENING
ASSESSMENT.—The 
term 
‘‘screening assessment’’ means an assessment that— 
(A) is developmentally, linguistically, and 
culturally appropriate; 
(B) is valid, reliable, and based on scientif-
ically valid research on literacy and English lan-
guage acquisition; and 
(C) is a procedure designed as a first step 
in identifying children who may be at high risk 
for delayed development or later academic dif-
ficulties and in need of further diagnosis of the 
children’s need for special services or additional 
literacy instruction. 
(20) SPECIALIZED
INSTRUCTIONAL
SUPPORT 
PERSONNEL.—The term ‘‘Specialized Instructional 
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Support Personnel (SISP)’’means school counselors, 
school social workers, school psychologists, and other 
qualified professional personnel involved in providing 
assessment, 
diagnosis, 
counseling, 
educational, 
therapeutic, and other necessary services (including 
related services as that term is defined in section 
602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act) as part of a comprehensive program to meet 
student needs. 
(21) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(22) STATE LITERACY LEADERSHIP TEAM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.— 
(i) APPOINTMENT; RESPONSIBILITY; 
COMPOSITION.—The term ‘‘State literacy 
leadership team’’ means a team that— 
(I) is appointed and coordinated 
by the State educational agency, ex-
cept that individuals described in sub-
clauses (I)(aa), (I)(hh), and (II)(gg) 
of clause (ii) shall be appointed by the 
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State agency that oversees child care 
programs; and 
(II) is composed of not less than 
13 individuals and includes the indi-
viduals described in clause (ii). 
(ii) 
INDIVIDUALS
INCLUDED.—A 
State literacy team— 
(I) shall include— 
(aa) an individual who has 
literacy expertise with respect to 
children from birth through kin-
dergarten entry; 
(bb) an individual who has 
literacy expertise with respect to 
students in kindergarten through 
grade 5; 
(cc) an individual who has 
literacy expertise with respect to 
students in grades 6 through 12; 
(dd) a school principal; 
(ee) 
a 
special 
education 
teacher with literacy expertise; 
(ff) a representative from 
the family literacy community; 
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(gg) a teacher or adminis-
trator with expertise in teaching 
English language learners; 
(hh) a representative from 
the State’s agency that oversees 
child care programs; 
(ii) a representative from 
the State educational agency who 
oversees literacy initiatives; and 
(jj) a representative from 
higher education who is actively 
involved in research, develop-
ment, and teacher preparation in 
literacy instruction and interven-
tion based on scientifically valid 
research; and 
(II) may include— 
(aa) a literacy specialist 
serving in a school district within 
the State; 
(bb) a literacy coach; 
(cc) a library media spe-
cialist; 
(dd) specialized instructional 
support personnel; 
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