BATON ROUGE, La. — A bill that would require public schools to create a literary assessment for every K-3 student passed through the House Education Committee Wednesday.
“This bill would address the literacy crisis that is happening in our state and around the country,” said bill author Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell.
There are multiple literacy screening processes around the state, but Hewitt’s bill, Senate Bill 222, would create one screening process and a report to monitor each student’s reading level.
The scores from the literary assessment would establish whether a child is reading below grade level, at grade level or above grade level. The assessment also would identify a gifted child or a child who should have further intervention.
“This will establish the framework for us to be successful and finally turn the corner on early education, to quit talking about it and actually start doing, so our kids are ready to learn,” said Hewitt.
All teachers would be trained in foundational literacy and how to teach literacy skills. Teachers would be trained on how to teach students with advanced literacy skills as well as students with literacy deficiencies.
Referring to the state’s English Language Arts curriculum, Dr. Cade Brumley, the state education superintendent, said: “When you look at results at the end of third grade, only about 46% of our students have mastered the ELA content.”
The assessment would be provided to the public schools at no cost.
The bill will now move to the House floor for debate.
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