Senate Panel Exploring Reading Training, Required Early Intervention

April 24, 2008

Holding back students who cannot read at grade level is out. But in its place is a proposal to require that all districts have programs in place to identify and help those students who are struggling with reading and that all teachers and administrators be trained in reading instruction.

The Senate Education Committee unveiled the new version of SB 842 and the newly-introduced SB 1275 on Thursday and committee Chair Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland) said he would like to have the issues resolved and report the bills in the next couple of weeks.

And there will still be some issues to resolve.

Under the bills, all school administrators, at all levels, would have to have three credits and field experience in diagnosis and remediation of reading disabilities by July 1, 2013. Teachers would have to meet the same requirements by July 1, 2011.

The Department of Education would have to develop a model summer school and a model early intervention program for English language arts. And districts not meeting federal adequate yearly progress standards for English would have to implement early intervention programs the include three screenings per year for children up to third grade and additional screenings in sixth and eighth grades.

"We think that by paying attention to kids early we'll be able to help them, especially as they approach high school," Mr. Kuipers said. "The goal is to know that all our kids have the ability to succeed."

But Jim Ballard, executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, told the committee that the requirement should mandate reading training appropriate to the grade level of the administrator, rather than a single program as written in the bills.

"Elementary school has a reading program that's remarkably different from high school that's remarkably different from middle school that's remarkably different from central office," he said.

He also urged that the requirement be for both reading and math.

But David Michelson with the Michigan Education Association told Gongwer News Service after the meeting that the required courses were appropriate for new teachers, if the material is not already being presented elsewhere in the teacher training program, but it should not be required of existing teachers.

"It would take away certification," he said. "Because they wouldn't meet the reading requirement, we wouldn't be certifying the teachers."

He questioned the need for science and math teachers to have the training to be recertified, and he said if the information is required it could be provided through professional development rather than having teachers go back to college.

Mr. Kuipers said he planned another hearing on the bills next week with a vote as early as that meeting if they are ready to move.