Franklin Elementary School third-grader Addyson Steele reads the book, “Finders Keepers,” on March 24, 2022, in the school’s library. Steele created a ceramic sculpture of the two dogs featured in “Finders Keepers” which is another Caldecott Award winner. Senate Bill 1 proposes to improve student literacy through early interventions, remediation, summer school and possible retention. Staff photo by Joseph C. Garza
Rachel Burke supports much of Senate Bill 1‘s proposal to improve student literacy through early interventions, remediation and summer school. But Burke, legislative coordinator and past president for the Indiana Parent Teacher Association, said the group cannot support “this idea of required retention if a child fails the IREAD-3 test.”
Burke was among those who testified Wednesday during a state senate Education and Career Development Committee hearing on the bill.
The bill passed out of committee by a 9-4 vote and now goes to the Committee on Appropriations.
Legislative leaders have said that improving literacy rates is a top priority this session of the General Assembly.
Indiana reading test scores show nearly one in five third graders still struggle to read, and Indiana’s Secretary of Education Katie Jenner has described that as a “crisis.”
Senate Bill 1, authored by Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, would require IREAD testing to begin a year earlier, in second grade, and allow those who pass at that stage to be exempt from taking the test again in the future, Indiana Capital Chronicle reported.
Around 60% of Hoosier schools are already testing students early. Students who do not pass must receive targeted support during third grade to help them improve their reading skills. After a full year of remediation — and three chances to take the IREAD test — lawmakers want schools to retain students who do not pass the test by the end of third grade. Exceptions include students who have already been retained in third grade, special- education students when deemed appropriate, certain English language learners, and students who pass the math portion of the statewide assessment and receive remedial reading instruction.
It’s anticipated that more students would be held back in third grade under the proposal.
The issue drew nearly three hours of discussion and testimony at the Statehouse on Wednesday.
Burke says she is “grateful the senate has a bill that puts into place measures to help children learn to read — supporting the science of reading, supporting more summer enrichment and summer school time” for children as early as kindergarten.
The big concern is required retention if a child fails the IREAD-3 test.
“Parents and educators working side by side should be making those choices for children after having a conference and discussion and figuring out what is best for that individual student,” Burke said. “Education is not a one-size-fits-all thing. Children are individuals and unique and every child has a different story and different needs.” She said it’s important “we as a state don’t take away the flexibility of districts and parents working together to make sure every kid gets the best educational experience they need.”
During the hearing, Rogers stated, “This is not a retention bill. Retention is the absolute last resort after we have exhausted all other methods to help struggling readers.”
But she also believes retention “is an appropriate and necessary policy for students who can’t read by the end of third grade” and who don’t qualify for an exception.
While some say retention is not good for a child, “What really isn’t good is to move that student on without foundational reading skills,” Rogers said. The ability to read is critical to students’ future academic success. The bill also puts in place policies to provide extra support to students in kindergarten and first grade who are not on track to read proficiently by the end of third grade.
The Indiana Department of Education will establish standards to help schools identify these students, who will then be given an assessment to identify what areas they need additional support in. The DOE will be in charge of identifying an assessment.
Local educators will use the information to help provide targeted support for students struggling with early reading.
Terry Spradlin, executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association, said ISBA is “encouraged by what is in the bill.”
Initially, leading into the 2024 General Assembly, much of the discussion emphasized third-grade retention for students not proficient on the IREAD-3 test.
School officials and educators believed that, in and of itself, a focus on retention was “wholly inadequate,” Spradlin said.
They believe the emphasis needs to be on early identification and remediation of students struggling to read.
That emphasis on early identification and remediation is included in SB 1.
According to Spradlin, “We like that approach. It’s more comprehensive. It’s trying to intervene earlier.” He believes those changes will mean fewer students would need to be retained in third grade.
But he also predicted “there will be a lot of discussion and debate about the retention provision of the bill,” he said.
This is not a budget session, and Spradlin believes that next year, the Legislature will need to increase funding for summer school.
If existing resources are going to be dedicated to reading remediation summer programs, that would diminish funding for other summer school programs for other grades.
ISBA also advocates for expanded eligibility for prekindergarten programs, which would improve early literacy skills and contribute to greater success in early elementary grades, he said. State Rep. Tonya Pfaff, D-Terre Haute, likes the idea of testing second graders “so teachers know when kids start third grade where they are at” in terms of literacy.
However, it still goes back to funding, and additional funding will be needed for remedial programs and summer school, she said.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to need a lot of conversations between the teachers and parents,” Pfaff said. “We’re going to need everyone to get on board to help these struggling students.”
She also believes it’s important to increase funding and eligibility for pre-K programs so children can gain some of those early literacy skills sooner.
State Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute and participating in his first session of the General Assembly as a legislator, said he will be focused on building and strengthening the state’s workforce pipeline. “One of the first things we need to make absolutely certain is that little ones are able to master thirdgrade reading,” he said.
He supports the bill and views it as a partnership between the state and local school boards.
Goode views retention as a last resort, but it does put some pressure on various parties to “all work together to help that individual be able to read at third-grade level.”
“I’m also mindful that in budget years, we back policies like this with sufficient funding to implement it. I have the fullest confidence we’ll be able to do that,” he said.
Restricting cell phone use
Among the many other bills impacting education, two seek to limit student cell phone use in the classroom, House Bill 1198 authored by Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis, and Senate Bill 185 authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond. “That could be a big issue,” Spradlin said. Both bills require school districts to adopt cell phone policies that govern student use.
Senate Bill 185 “restricts a student from accessing a cellular telephone while a student is participating in an approved course.” It had a hearing Wednesday.
House Bill 1198, with some exceptions, “prohibits a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time.”
HB 1198 authorizes a teacher to allow a student to use a cell phone for educational purposes during instructional time and permits a student to use it in the event of an emergency.
According to Spradlin, teachers can face disruptions in the classroom because of student cell phone use.
Most school districts address cell phone use in their student handbooks, school policy or both.
With proposed legislation, one view is that a state mandate gives leverage to school officials to enforce those policies.
ISBA , which has not yet committed to a position on the legislation, is seeking feedback from school districts and educators, Spradlin said.
Higher ed funding for job training
Another bill being watched is House Bill 1001, which deals in part with Career Scholarship Accounts.
Last year, the General Assembly approved legislation creating Career Scholarship Accounts, which allowed high school students to access state funding for workforce training outside of their schools.
This year, House Bill 1001, authored by Rep. Chuck Goodrich, a Noblesville Republican, would allow money from the state-funded 21st Century Scholars program and Frank O’Bannon grants to be used by high school graduates for training by an approved intermediary, employer or labor organization.
It would allows certain recipients of a scholarship under the 21st Century Scholars program to apply the scholarship to the cost of a sequence, course, apprenticeship or program of study provided by a CSA participating entity.
The bill would requires the Commission for Higher Education to create a list of intermediaries, employers and labor organizations approved to receive reimbursement from those sources and to establish requirements or limitations with regard to reimbursements.
Goode said he’s following the legislation, even though it is currently on the House side.
At Indiana State University, where he was formerly executive director of government relations, many students were 21st Century Scholars. “I’m a huge believer in that program.”
Goode said he wants to “make certain that any steps we take with the 21st Century Scholars program that we do no harm to any individual’s access to that important funding to pursue a four-year degree,” he said.
But he said he’s also open to flexibility that will increase all post-secondary education opportunities.
“I am open to the idea and would want to gauge the Commissioner for Higher Education, Chris Lowery, and other leaders in post-secondary education and training circles for their informed opinions before making any vote,” Goode said.
Pfaff has concerns about opening up the 21st Century Scholars program and other higher education awards for job training.
“Yes, we need people to enter the workforce, but we also need people to pursue higher education,” she said.
The 21st Century Scholars has been a successful program. “Leave that money alone,” she said. If the legislators want more funding for CSAs, they should appropriate more money for it, she said.
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