Increasing Reading Efficiency and Accountability Development (iREAD) Pilot Program; establish for "D" and "F" schools.

HB 1290 establishes the iREAD Pilot Program to improve early literacy in Mississippi elementary schools rated "D" or "F" for accountability. The program provides a technology platform for K-3 students in these schools, requiring vendors to offer features like real-time reading data, 12,000 Lexile-scoped books, voice recognition, and parent/teacher access. It mandates $750,000 annually for implementation starting in 2025-2026, with Jackson Public Schools as the initial site and priority for expansion to districts with high populations of at-risk 4-year-olds. The State Board of Education must develop policies for vendor selection and report on program outcomes to legislators by January 2027.