As used in this part:

(1) “Department” means the department of education;

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 49-1-903

  • Department: means the department of education. See Tennessee Code 49-1-903
  • Foundational literacy skills: means phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. See Tennessee Code 49-1-903
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Parent: means a child's parent or guardian. See Tennessee Code 49-1-903
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Significant reading deficiency: means :
    (A) For students in kindergarten through grade three (K-3), that a student's score on a universal reading screener is within the range of scores determined by the department to demonstrate a lack of proficiency in foundational literacy skills. See Tennessee Code 49-1-903
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State board: means the state board of education. See Tennessee Code 49-1-903
  • Universal reading screener: means a uniform tool that screens and monitors a student's progress in foundational literacy skills. See Tennessee Code 49-1-903
(2) “Educator preparation provider” means an entity approved by the state board that is responsible for managing, operating, or coordinating programs for the preparation and licensure of teachers, school leaders, and other school personnel;
(3) “Foundational literacy skills” means phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;
(4) “Foundational literacy skills instruction” means an evidence-based method of teaching students to read that includes phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension that enables students to develop the reading skills required to meet Tennessee’s academic standards;
(5) “Foundational literacy skills plan” means a proposal that details how an LEA or public charter school plans to provide foundational literacy skills instruction to students and reading interventions and supports, which may include interventions provided pursuant to Tennessee’s response to instruction and intervention framework manual, to students identified as having a significant reading deficiency;
(6) “Home literacy report” means a report provided to a student’s parent by the LEA or public charter school describing the student’s progress in foundational literacy skills;
(7) “Parent” means a child’s parent or guardian; a person who has custody of the child; or a person designated as the child’s caregiver with the power of attorney for the care of the minor child pursuant to the Power of Attorney for Care of a Minor Child Act, compiled in title 34, chapter 6, part 3, who is authorized to enroll the child in public school pursuant to § 49-6-3001;
(8) “Significant reading deficiency” means:

(A) For students in kindergarten through grade three (K-3), that a student’s score on a universal reading screener is within the range of scores determined by the department to demonstrate a lack of proficiency in foundational literacy skills; and
(B) For students in grades four (4) or five (5), that a student scored below proficient in English language arts on the Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) test most recently administered to the student;
(9) “State board” means the state board of education;
(10) “Tennessee universal reading screener” means the universal reading screener provided by the department; and
(11) “Universal reading screener” means a uniform tool that screens and monitors a student’s progress in foundational literacy skills.