(WFIU/WTIU News)
Noon Edition airs on Fridays at noon on WFIU.
A bill working its way through the Statehouse proposes more solutions to Indiana’s literacy problems.
The bill requires third grade students who fail the I-READ-3 test to be held back. It also offers more summer school options to improve reading retention and comprehension, as well as ways to retain students who do not pass the exam.
READ MORE: Senate committee debates fiscal impacts of third grade reading bill, passes it to full chamber
Reading has been an issue for Indiana students, as about 15,000 students, or 18 percent, did not pass the I-READ-3 in 2023. Indiana has already taken some measures, including requiring schools to adopt the science of reading curriculum by the 2024-2025 school year.
READ MORE: Reading bill amendments expand retention exemptions, create appeals process
Some concerns with the bill include costs and the effects it may have on students.
This week on Noon Edition, we will talk with experts about Indiana’s literacy issues and the proposed legislation.
You can join us on the air by calling 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send questions for the show to news@indianapublicmedia.org.
Guests
Senator Linda Rogers (R) - District 11 Representative and Author of Senate Bill 1
Hardy Murphy - Clinical Associate Proffessor in the IUPUI Urban Leadership and Policy Studies Program
Rachel Burke - At-large member of the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township school board & Former President of the Indiana Parent Teachers Association
Dr. Dorothea Irwin - Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education for MCCSC