115 STAT. 1550 PUBLIC LAW 107-110-^AN. 8, 2002 "(A) is among the local educational agencies in the State with the highest numbers or percentages of students in kindergarten through grade 3 reading below grade level, based on the most currently available data; and "(B) has— "(i) jurisdiction over a geographic area that includes an area designated as an empowerment zone, or an enterprise community, under part I of subchapter U of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; "(ii) jurisdiction over a significant number or percentage of schools that are identified for school improvement under section 1116(b); or "(iii) the highest numbers or percentages of children who are counted under section 1124(c), in comparison to other local educational agencies in the State. " (2) ELIGIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDER.—The term 'eligible professional development provider' means a provider of professional development in reading instruction to teachers, including special education teachers, that is based on scientifically based reading research. " (3) ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF READING INSTRUCTION. — The term 'essential components of reading instruction' means explicit and systematic instruction in— " (A) phonemic awareness; "(B) phonics; "(C) vocabulary development; "(D) reading fluency, including oral reading skills; and "(E) reading comprehension strategies. "(4) INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.— The term 'instructional staff— "(A) means individuals who have responsibility for teaching children to read; and "(B) includes principals, teachers, supervisors of instruction, librarians, library school media specialists, teachers of academic subjects other than reading, and other individuals who have responsibility for assisting children to learn to read. "(5) 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 understand 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. "(6) SCIENTIFICALLY BASED READING RESEARCH.— The term 'scientifically based reading research' means research that— "(A) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading difficulties; and "(B) includes research that—
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