Alabama lawmakers are close to approving a delay of a high-stakes requirement to hold back third-graders who don’t read on grade level.
The Alabama House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously voted to push back the requirement for two years. Instead of taking effect at the end of this school year, the legislation would delay implementation until the 2023-2024 school year. The Alabama Senate has approved similar legislation.
Lawmakers in 2019 approved the Alabama Literacy Act that will require third graders to meet reading benchmarks before moving to the fourth grade. Students would have to make a minimum score on a reading assessment or demonstrate mastery of all third grade state reading standards.
However, many lawmakers and educators pushed for a delay after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted classrooms for two years.
The state Board of Education in November set a cutoff score that third-graders must make on that Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program in order to be promoted. State officials said 23% of students scored below that number on the latest assessment.
Republican Rep. Terri Collins, the sponsor of the Literacy Act, said the two-year delay is a compromise.
Collins said she believes the interventions and other measures in the law are already making a difference for students.
Collins said the Senate bill will be in House committee next week.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
