LANSING (WKZO-AM) — Differences between the Michigan House and Senate over a Republican-drafted student reading bill are expected to be hammered out after the Legislature reconvenes next week.
The debate is over the number of built-in loopholes in the proposed law, which would retain third graders with poor state reading scores.
Senate changes would give school officials more say in whether the underperforming child gets held back, placing that power in the hands of reading teachers, principals and superintendents. The Senate also approved a change that would let students new to their districts advance to fourth grade if they were not given individualized reading intervention in their old district, the Associated Press reports.
Rep. Brandt Iden, R-Oshtemo, said the legislation was directed to a conference committee before spring break.
“I wound envision this looking a bit more like the house version but I hope we can come up with a reasonable compromise,” Iden said.
The House legislation included exemptions for the developmentally disabled, children familiar with English as their second language, and students held back for two consecutive years despite receiving increased reading help. The House bill also included a provision that would allow parents to petition the district, Iden said.
The House bill was approved along party lines, while the Senate version garnered bipartisan support.
