Adolescent Literacy Initiatives; require MDE to establish for Grades 4-8.

HB 1213 requires Mississippi public schools to implement evidence-based literacy instruction for students in grades 4-8, directly affecting schools, teachers, and students with reading challenges. The bill mandates universal reading screenings three times yearly, prohibits teaching methods like "three-cueing systems," and requires structured literacy instruction aligned with the science of reading. It also demands hiring reading specialists, providing dyslexia screenings, creating individual reading plans for struggling students, and notifying parents about progress. Schools must use high-quality instructional materials and track student outcomes through annual reporting. The law aims to improve reading proficiency by focusing on proven methods rather than outdated approaches.