INDIANAPOLIS — An education bill aimed at improving reading comprehension for children across the Hoosier State will now head to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb's desk for final consideration.
Senate Bill 1, also known as “Every Child Learns to Read,” was passed by senators Thursday and will be sent to the governor's desk to await his final action. This law was written to help young students become more proficient readers by comprehensively overhauling the state's academic efforts in the areas of curriculum, assessment, remediation, and retention. The bill was authored by state Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger).
“The Indiana IREAD assessment found that each year, approximately one in five students complete third grade without basic reading skills,” Rogers said. “Reading is one of the most important skills that children should learn. The Every Child Learns to Read bill would identify students who need additional support and, as a last resort, By retaining students, we ensure that all students are prepared for future success. This gives our young Hoosiers the best chance to tackle more difficult lessons. ”
The bill drew criticism from some lawmakers who expressed concern about stricter retention policies that would hold back more third-graders who are deemed not to have sufficient reading proficiency before entering fourth grade. is recieving.
Some critics argue that detentions disproportionately affect Black and Latino students, while others argue that harsh detentions can undermine young students' self-confidence and hinder motivation. There is.
Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner previously said that nearly 1 in 5 third graders are not reading at their grade level. Dr. Jenner also acknowledged that of the approximately 15,000 students who were unable to read at grade level in 2023, only about 400 were prevented from reading.
Under the latest version of the bill, schools would be required to provide reading instruction for students in kindergarten through eighth grade that closely aligns with the science of reading curriculum.
Schools should also make it easier for students to take the IREAD standardized test during their second year, and students who pass should not have to take the test again. Students who do not pass the test will receive specialized support to improve their reading comprehension in third grade.
The bill would require students to be withheld from promotion to the next grade if they do not pass the IREAD test by the end of their third grade. Exceptions include students who were already retained in third grade, students with special needs or language barriers, and some students who passed the math-focused portion of the test while continuing to receive reading assistance. Includes students.
In December, the Indiana State Department of Education announced that the state's literacy rate had been in decline for a decade. According to her most recent IREAD-3 assessment results, nearly one in five of her students struggle with reading.
The Indiana State Board of Education also introduced a visualization tool aimed at streamlining efforts to track which school districts are most in need of intervention.