- Indiana lawmakers are trying to address the state’s declining literacy rates, with a particular focus on early elementary school students.
- A sweeping bill proposed by state senators would potentially hold third-graders who fail the state’s reading exam.
- State Sen. Linda Rogers, the bill’s author, said preservation is intended as a last resort after all other means have been exhausted to help readers in distress.
Indiana lawmakers vowed to reverse years of declining literacy rates in the state with a bill aimed at early elementary school students. Almost halfway through the legislative session, state senators introduced a sweeping bill Thursday that could block the admission of thousands of third-graders who don’t pass the state reading test.
Republicans have balked at those calling the measure a “remain bill,” saying students need immediate intervention.
State Sen. Linda Rogers, the bill’s author, told lawmakers that “retention is the absolute last resort when all other ways to help our readers in distress have been exhausted.” .
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The bill now heads to the House with support from Gov. Eric Holcomb and Republicans who control the House floor and the Indiana Department of Education.
State Sen. Linda Rogers speaks in the Senate chamber at the State Capitol on February 1, 2024 in Indianapolis. State lawmakers vowed that the bill, which targets early elementary school students, would reverse the state’s long-term decline in literacy rates. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
Indiana’s proposal is partially inspired by the “Mississippi Miracle,” a term used to describe the Southern state’s success in increasing literacy rates over the past decade. Part of this achievement is due to third-grade retention policies, early intervention, and the science of reading.
Like many states across the country, Indiana changed the way it teaches reading to elementary school students last year, introducing audio strategies, also known as the science of reading.
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According to the Indiana State Department of Education, about 18% of third graders failed Indiana’s reading test, IREAD-3, last year. Indiana’s current policy is to block promotions for these students, but Republican lawmakers argue the exemption is too broadly applied. According to data from the Ministry of Education, more than 96% of students who failed the reading test progressed to fourth grade.
Of the approximately 14,000 students who failed last year, only about 400 remained in the third grade. The state has set a goal for 95% of students to pass IREAD-3 by 2027.
Indiana’s literacy rate has been on the decline since the 2014-15 school year, dropping 6 points between the 2018-19 and 2020-21 school years.
The Senate-approved bill would require second-grade students to take a reading comprehension test (currently optional) as an early indicator of progress. If you pass, you do not need to retake the exam in your third year.
The law outlines individual assignments for struggling students to complete and summer school for unsuccessful students. If a student does not pass in her third grade, she will have another chance to attend summer school and take the test again.
If you do not pass the exam after three attempts, your 4th year exam will be put on hold. The state estimates that an additional 6,350 students will repeat third grade starting in the 2025-26 school year, according to the bill’s financial report.
The bill allows for exemptions from retention, including for some English language learners and students with disabilities. It also establishes reading assessments for kindergarten-age students so parents and teachers know where they stand.
Opponents, including many Democrats who are in the minority in both chambers, argue that curbing student participation would strain school resources if they are forced to expand third-grade classes. Some say holding back students can have detrimental social and emotional effects.
The Democratic-authored amendments to the bill passed Monday would establish an appeals process for parents if they disagree with keeping their children.
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The Indiana State Teachers Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union, has taken a neutral stance on the bill. Leaders say they support early intervention but are cautious about maintenance measures.
The Indiana School Boards Association testified in support of the bill, while the Indiana Parent Teacher Association testified in opposition to the bill.
Improving literacy among elementary school students has become a bipartisan priority for lawmakers, but Democrats want to intervene even earlier in education.
The bill, introduced by Democratic state Sen. Fadi Kadoura, would lower the mandatory age for children to attend school from 7 to 5 and expand the preschool voucher program. The proposal did not receive a committee hearing in the Republican-controlled Congress by Thursday’s deadline.
