Kids struggle to learn to read in Michigan. Nearly 70 percent of students reach fourth grade without being proficient in reading, according to national standards.
Governor Rick Snyder has said that fixing this problem will be an "overwhelming task." But state Republicans have a solution in mind that includes holding back more third graders.
Teachers call that retention.
The Republican bill, which has already passed the state House, does more than just hold back third graders. But the retention part of the legislation is frustrating educators.
“Because retention isn’t actually proven, by research, to be an effective strategy,” says Erin Sorenson, a teacher at Westwoods Elementary School in Traverse City. “In fact, it’s proven to be ineffective and perhaps detrimental.”
Sorenson says this bill worries her.
“There’s a correlation between being retained … and the drop-out rate,” she says.
Learning to read, reading to learn
Third graders are at a critical point. Teachers say it’s the time when students go from learning to read, to reading to learn.
In other words, you’re expected to know how to read in all your other subjects after that point. Fall behind now and maybe you’ll never catch up in school.
That’s what makes the data on reading in Michigan so distressing.
Sorenson says there are better solutions than holding kids back though, like universal preschool. Early intervention is another option.
“Identifying students who do have some trouble with reading and putting interventions in place early, as early as possible,” Sorenson says.
Bill would provide early intervention help
This bill would provide more early intervention for students. For instance, schools would have to come up with a personalized assistance program for each student who has fallen behind.
Some teacher groups in Michigan initially supported the legislation, and so did a number of Democrats in Lansing. But that support disappeared when the retention portion was added.
Representative Amanda Price, a primary sponsor of the legislation, says people shouldn’t focus on that piece of it.
“This is not a bill about retaining kids and having them do exactly the same thing over again,” Price says. “It’s a combination of assessing and intervening. And then if they are retained in third grade they’ll be given a different teacher, a highly effective teacher, and more interventions.”
Price says that means if kids do third grade over again, it won’t just be a do-over. There will be plenty of additional help.
Under the legislation, only kids who are a full grade level behind would be held back, and there are even some exceptions then.
Price says retention would be a last resort.
“When you look at the statistics over long term periods of time, kids who can’t read at that critical third grade level will drop out of high school much more frequently,” Price says. “And so they really need this piece to be in place by the time they transition on to fourth grade.”
Parent says retention can work, but they don't like bill
Holding students back is not popular, but it does happen.
Colleen Klopcic’s daughter did the third grade over again just last year.
Klopcic lives in Traverse City. Her daughter had fallen behind so far in reading that she was getting teased.
“I hate to say it but that child did tell us that other children had identified her as in their eyes not being so smart,” Klopcic says. “And they would say things to her.”
Klopcic’s daughter was getting extra help from the school – there was early intervention. But Klopcic and her husband felt holding their daughter back was the best option available.
So they did.
“We decided to go against popular trend and current research,” Klopcic says, “and it’s been a wonderful experience for both her and us. Her self-esteem has flourished. She took a whole year to just work on the basics.”
Klopcic’s daughter is a fourth grader this year and doing fine in reading.
Holding her back seems to have worked but that doesn’t mean Klopcic is a fan of the bill. She’s skeptical because she says she doesn’t believe in blanket policies.
“I feel that each situation is unique,” Klopcic says. “And I think parents, students and teachers should each be a part of the decision that’s best for their family.”
The legislation has stalled in the state senate, but new data on how third graders are doing in reading is expected soon. And it’s based on the state’s newest measure of achievement – the M-Step.