The Michigan House of Representatives approved two bills on Wednesday that aim to strengthen reading instruction, less than a month after 2024 M-STEP scores showed 60% of third graders failed the state reading test .
This package of bills, years in the making, is similar to what has been introduced in two previous sessions. The bills are part of a larger effort to improve reading outcomes in the state, which have raised concerns among lawmakers and education advocates. The state is also investing in strengthened reading instruction training, rooted in the science of reading, the body of research that shows how children effectively learn to read. Phonics is just a part of the science of reading.
The two bills are:
- Senate Bill 567 : Introduced by Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, this bill, among other things, would require schools to ensure students are screened for characteristics of dyslexia or other difficulties in learning to read by the 2027-28 school year. SB 567 passed the House 100-8.
- Senate Bill 568 : Introduced by Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, it would require teacher preparation programs to include instruction on dyslexia and identifying the characteristics of it. SB 568 passed the House 99-10.
The legislation, which passed the Senate earlier this year, goes back to the Senate to consider House changes and if approved heads next to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk…