A controversial bill that would hold back some students who fail the state’s reading proficiency exam is nearing the governor’s desk.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praised the bill’s provisions to test and screen students earlier and prioritize reading during summer school.
But Democrats like Representative Phil GiaQuinta criticized the bill for not allocating additional money for the summer programs and failing to address how larger class sizes in third grade might affect school staffing needs.
“I just can’t stomach the idea of saddling our schools with an unfunded summer school mandate, holding kids back without their parent’s input, and the teacher workload problems that will result from this” he said.
The bill’s proponents argue students who advance to fourth grade without essential literacy skills may never be able to read successfully and will struggle for the rest of their lives. They say retention is the best way to keep students from falling between the cracks.
The proposal to retain third graders includes some exemptions if the student is an English language learner or has an intellectual disability.
Additional exemptions were added for students who test well in math or have already been held back once in third grade or twice between kindergarten and second grade
Additional exemptions were added for students who test well in math or have already been held back once in third grade or twice between kindergarten and second grade
