(a) The Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to local and regional boards of education on the development of the plans required pursuant to section 10-221h. The department shall advise local and regional boards of education on: (1) Methods and strategies for assessing students who are at risk of failing to learn to read by the end of first grade; and (2) the development of in-service training programs on the teaching of reading and assessment of reading competency for teachers in grades kindergarten to three, inclusive.

      (b) The State Board of Education shall establish a standard of reading competency for use by local and regional boards of education to measure reading competency for students in grades one to three, inclusive. The standard may be a requirement for a certain score on a standardized test.