The House Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Amanda Price (R-Ottawa County) heard testimony
on Thursday from Education Trust-Midwest and the Foundation for Excellence in Education with respect to 3
rdGrade Reading.
Both groups spent significant time lamenting that fourth grade NAEP scores in Michigan have lagged behind other states over the last decade, and suggested a litany of strategies utilized in other states to improve literacy, such as educator evaluations, teacher support, mentoring, coaching, improved K-12 data infrastructure, enhanced digital instructional tools, alternate assessments, investment in data systems to track student growth and instruction, expanded teacher training, early literacy screening, parental notification, and home reading strategies or programs that prompt increased parental involvement. States cited by the groups as success stories include Florida, Tennessee, and Massachusetts.
As the Governor has directed significant financial resources to improving 3rd grade literacy in his proposed Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget, Rep. Price has indicated she intends to take a few weeks of testimony on this issue, and will introduce legislation on the topic in mid-April. Last session, Rep. Price introduced legislation that would have retained third graders, with certain exceptions, who did not achieve a proficient score on the state reading assessment. Companion legislation would have required intensive intervention as well. Neither bill was voted on in the House.
Governor Snyder has since indicated his opposition to retention, preferring instead to address the problem with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to improve literacy instruction for all students in kindergarten through third grade and to target additional resources to those students in need of extra intervention.
