Compromise reached on 3rd grade reading bill that could hold back struggling students
A bill aimed at improving childhood literacy is moving forward in the Michigan Legislature after a committee reached a compromise Tuesday on controversial provisions that would hold back students who fail to read proficiently by third grade.
The comprise – approved by a six-member conference committee comprised of members of the Michigan House and Senate – allows third-graders who can't read at grade-level to advance to fourth-grade if they receive remedial reading instruction and demonstrate proficiency in other subjects through the state assessment or work samples.
"The overarching goal here is that we increase proficiency in reading," said House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, who chaired the committee, which hashed out the differences between competing versions of the legislation approved by the House and Senate. "I think our numbers right now are something that we all agree are not acceptable."
The Senate on Wednesday put its own spin on a House-passed bill that aims to improve third grade reading, possibly by holding students back.
The compromise was approved 5-1, with Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, casting the lone no vote. The legislation – a goal of Gov. Rick Snyder's since 2015 – could go before the House for final approval as soon as Wednesday, Cotter said.
If approved, the bill's retention provisions would go into effect in 2019-20.
To show they're reading at grade level, students must demonstrate proficiency in one of three ways: Through Michigan's state standardized test, an alternative assessment, or multiple work samples that show competency on all third-grade English language art standards.
Results from 2016 M-STEP – Michigan's state standardized test – showed that 46 percent of third-graders were proficient or above in English language arts.
Experts say it's important for students to be able to read proficiently by third-Compromise reached on 3rd grade reading bill that could hold back struggling students | MLive.com:
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