STATEHOUSE (Jan. 11, 2024) — A bill authored by State Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger) that would improve reading skills for Hoosier children was announced as a 2024 legislative priority by the Senate Republicans today.
Each year, about 1 in 5 Hoosier students end third grade without basic reading skills, as measured by Indiana's IREAD assessment. Senate Bill 1 – the caucus's top priority – offers a comprehensive plan to help students achieve reading proficiency by addressing the issues of curriculum, assessment, remediation and retention.
"Reading is the most important skill a child can learn because it impacts them for the rest of their life," Rogers said. "It is necessary for us to ensure that our children can achieve success, and we are taking these steps in Senate Bill 1."
SB 1 would require schools to provide kindergarten through eighth grade reading instruction aligned with Science of Reading curriculum. Senate Republicans have previously championed several laws to ensure the Science of Reading is being taught in every Indiana classroom, including the 2023 state budget, which provided $60 million in funding for reading initiatives.
SB 1 also requires schools to give the IREAD test to students in second grade, allowing those who pass at this stage to be exempt from taking the test again in the future. With this change, those 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 opportunities to take the IREAD test, SB 1 would require some students to be retained if they do not pass the test by the end of third grade. Exceptions to this 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.
"This bill is intended to help students improve their reading, not hold them back. With the implementation of Science of Reading initiatives and better remediation for those who need it, we can provide students with a more involved and improved reading education, ultimately helping them not only become better students, but also improving their chances at success once they complete their education," Rogers said. "However, if a student still can't read proficiently upon reaching the end of third grade, it is appropriate in many cases to keep them in third grade another year to ensure their success in the future. Third grade is the most crucial grade for learning to read, and we are doing a disservice to many children by passing them on if they lack basic reading skills."
The Indiana General Assembly reconvened for session Jan. 8 and must conclude legislative business on or before March 14. Session and committee meetings are livestreamed at iga.in.gov. More information on bills, session schedules, daily calendars and more can be found on this site.
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State Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger) represents Senate District 11,
which includes portions of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
Contact: Emma Balzer, Senior Press Secretary
Emma.Balzer@iga.in.gov
317-232-7184
