INDIANA – Governor Eric Holcomb has signed a bill into law that will hold back more third-graders if they do not pass the state’s standardized reading test. This measure is intended to address the declining literacy rates of young Hoosier students.
According to the Indiana Department of Education, nearly one in five students struggle to read, according to the most recent IREAD-3 assessment results.
Senate Bill 1, also known as ‘Every Child Learns to Read’ was a priority bill for Senate Republicans. Governor Holcomb signed the bill authored by Senator Linda Rogers (R-Granger) into law on Monday.
The bill will require schools to provide the IREAD standardized test to students before they reach the second grade. Students who pass the test will not be required to retake the test.
Students who fail the test will receive specialized support to help them increase their reading capabilities. The bill also stipulates that students receive additional testing and tutoring opportunities before they reach the third grade and take the literacy test.
According to the current version of the bill, students who still struggle to pass the IREAD test by the time they finish third grade will be held back. Some exclusions will apply to students who meet specific criteria, including students who were already retained while in the third grade, those with special needs or language barriers, and students who passed the math portion of the test while they continued receiving reading assistance.
Parents will be able to formally appeal a recommended remediation.
