MARYLAND · READY TO READ ACT AND COMAR 13A.03.08
Science of reading practice for the K-3 readers Maryland’s screeners flag
Maryland requires K-3 reading screening three times a year and a Student Reading Improvement Plan for students found at risk, starting in 2026-2027. ReadGenie gives those students short daily practice in the skills their plan targets and gives staff progress data to review.
AT A GLANCE
Key date
2026-2027, statewide
Who it’s for
K-6 readers in Tier 2 and 3
Daily practice
10 to 15 minutes per student
Devices
iPad, Chromebook, Android
Typical funding
Title I, IDEA, Title II-A, Title IV-A
THE DEADLINE
Maryland’s Student Reading Improvement Plans start in 2026-2027
The Ready to Read Act (SB 734, Chapter 512 of 2019) and COMAR 13A.03.08 require local school systems to screen students for reading difficulties and provide supplemental reading instruction. Revised regulations effective March 30, 2026 require screening for all K-3 students in fall, winter, and spring. Starting in 2026-2027, an at-risk student gets a diagnostic survey, a written family notice within 30 days, and a Student Reading Improvement Plan within 30 days.
The State Board’s Comprehensive PreK-3 Literacy Policy calls for daily small group intervention with more guided practice and more error correction for students retained in grade 3, starting in 2027-2028. Screening three times a year will find more students than intervention minutes can serve. ReadGenie was built for that gap. It adds 10 to 15 minutes of daily practice aligned to the skill each student’s plan targets.
October 22, 2024
State Board adopts the Comprehensive PreK-3 Literacy Policy aligned to the science of reading.
March 30, 2026
Revised COMAR 13A.03.08 takes effect, with K-3 screening in fall, winter, and spring.
2026-2027
Student Reading Improvement Plans, diagnostic surveys, and MSDE-approved universal screeners begin.
2027-2028
Grade 3 promotion and retention portion of the literacy policy begins.
HOW IT WORKS
How it works in a Maryland school
01
Your interventionist teaches the skill from your chosen program.
02
They set ReadGenie to that week’s skills.
03
Students practice 10 to 15 minutes a day, at school or home, with corrective feedback.
04
Each week, review mastery and fluency for MTSS records and parent updates.
FOR YOUR REVIEW COMMITTEE
What Maryland schools get
The short version for your review committee.
Intended use
Supplemental practice inside your MTSS model. Not a standalone program.
Who it’s for
K-6 readers in Tier 2 and 3, including students with dyslexia
Devices
iPad, Chromebook, Android
Statutory fit
Practice that supports supplemental reading instruction under Education Article §4-136 and COMAR 13A.03.08
Progress monitoring
Mastery bands, fluency, and practice summaries in one adult dashboard
SRIP support
Practice frequency and mastery records your team can reference in Student Reading Improvement Plans
Parent reports
Activity reports that support COMAR’s quarterly written progress reports to families
Educator reports
Roster access and progress views for staff
Evidence level
ESSA Tier 4 statement (logic model and planned research), plus usage and progress data
STATE ALIGNMENT
Maryland alignment at a glance
Each row pairs a Maryland requirement with what ReadGenie does. Source links go to the Maryland General Assembly, the Library of Maryland Regulations, and the Maryland State Department of Education.
Education Article §4-136: Supplemental reading instruction for at-risk students
ReadGenie adds explicit, cumulative practice in phonics, decoding, and spelling next to the instruction your staff provides.
COMAR 13A.03.08.05: Student Reading Improvement Plan and Tier II and III support
Teachers assign the skill named in a student’s plan, and ReadGenie records how often and how well the student practiced it.
COMAR 13A.03.08.06: Progress monitoring at least every 30 days
Mastery and fluency data refresh with each session, so staff have current information at each review.
PreK-3 Literacy Policy: More guided practice and error correction for students retained in grade 3
Every item gives immediate corrective feedback, so students get more practice turns between small group sessions.
Phonological Awareness
Phoneme drills and sound-in-word practice between intervention sessions.
Phonics/Decoding/Encoding
Decoding and spelling practice generated from the skill the educator picks that week.
Fluency With Connected Text
Decodable passages matched to taught skills, with fluency data for the adult dashboard.
Progress Monitoring Within MTSS
Usage and mastery data your team can review alongside its own program-specific progress monitoring tools.
WHERE IT FITS
Where ReadGenie fits, honestly
ReadGenie is
Supplemental practice for students in Tier 2/3 intervention. Your educator picks the skill, students practice with feedback, and you get evidence before the next session.
ReadGenie is not
A screener, a Tier 1 core curriculum, or a replacement for your interventionists. In Maryland, local school systems choose from MSDE’s approved universal screener list and pick their own core and intervention programs. ReadGenie adds practice capacity next to whatever your district chooses.
FUNDING
How Maryland schools fund ReadGenie
Schools typically use existing federal funds. No competitive application needed.
Title I, Part A
Supplemental reading practice for struggling readers in schoolwide and targeted assistance programs.
IDEA Part B and CEIS
Serves students with IEP reading goals. The 15 percent CEIS set-aside can cover Tier 2/3 students not yet identified, and usage data supports CEIS reporting.
Title II-A and Title IV-A
Title II-A can fund educator data-use training. Title IV-A can fund licenses under the effective use of technology priority.
Your federal programs office makes the final allowability call. We can send an allowable use memo and our ESSA Tier 4 statement on request.
PROCUREMENT
Maryland procurement checklist
A quick list to share with your review committee.
Supports supplemental reading instruction under the Ready to Read Act (Education Article §4-136)
Fits Student Reading Improvement Plans under COMAR 13A.03.08
Guided practice with error correction
Progress monitoring dashboard
Parent reports
Educator reports
ESSA Tier 4 evidence statement
COPPA and FERPA-aware workflows
Chromebook, iPad, and Android
12 to 16 week pilot with implementation support
LET’S TALK
See where ReadGenie fits in your intervention plan
Tell us how intervention runs in your schools today. We’ll show you where ReadGenie fits and what a 12 to 16 week pilot would look like.