Opposition to third grade "retention" bill mounts
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The coalition of educators, clergy members and parents who banded together at the Statehouse in 2022 to fight an effort to remove "critical race theory" from public schools has a new target: the Republican supermajority's third-grade reading initiative.
Why it matters: Senate Republicans passed legislation earlier this year that would limit social promotion of third-grade students who can't read on grade level by the end of the year, causing potentially thousands of students to repeat the grade.
Driving the news: The Indianapolis Urban League is part of the coalition of teachers unions, clergy, the NAACP and the African American Coalition of Indianapolis that oppose the bill, warning that it would disproportionately affect Black and brown students.
Threat level: In Marion County four public school districts had IREAD pass rates below 70% — representing some of the lowest levels in the state.
- Statewide, 1 in 5 students aren't reading proficient by the end of third grade.
By the numbers: Of the nearly 15,000 students who didn't pass IREAD last year, fewer than 1,000 were retained.
- Of those who weren't reading proficient, nearly 25% of them were Black students despite Black children representing only 1 in 8 of those tested.
How it works: The bill would require schools to administer the state's literacy test, IREAD, in second grade.
- Students who don't pass would get support in summer school and during third grade, with more attempts to pass the exam.
- If they don't pass IREAD by the end of the third grade, they would be held back, though there are some exceptions.
What they're saying: Mark Russell, director of advocacy for the Indianapolis Urban League, said Black students will be disproportionately impacted by "long-term negative consequences associated with retention … including non-completion of high school, failure to advance to college and an increase in crime."
The other side: Statehouse leaders say they don't want any students to be held back, but it's a disservice to advance students who can't read and fall further behind in school.
What's next: The bill will get its first hearing in the House this morning.