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Pennsylvania legislators have proposed laws on reading sciences that would oblige schools to adopt research programs supported by research and create additional teaching resources for teachers.
The two bills, both of which have bipartite support, focus on the guarantee that State students have access to programs that include phonetics, word decoding, master’s degree in control, vocabulary and understanding – all the elements that researchers have found the students to learn to read.
Proposals are part of a year -round push in Pennsylvania and nationally to ensure that reading programs follow the science of reading. Last year, only about 1 student of about fourth year from Pennsylvania could read at a competent level, according to National test scores. Invoices would rely on legislation State legislators adopted last year which created a science reading training program and encouraged the districts to adopt the Reading program supported by research.
One of the billsThat the Senate Education Committee has advanced earlier this month, demanded that districts adopt a reading program supported by evidence. The Senate 700 bill would also require screen districts All children from kindergarten to the third year for reading competence three times a year and offer professional development to teachers in teaching reading.
“We know, thanks to a set of very solid research that spread over decades, that the instruction aligned with the science of reading is the most effective way to teach children to read,” said the Senator of the Devlin State Robinson, a republican and one of the main sponsors of the bill, in a press release. “This bill follows the successful efforts of other states and obliges educators to use the most effective methods, programs and documents that are aligned with the science of reading.”
The legislation does not explicitly stipulate what measures based on evidence that they expect the programs to use. However, this would force schools to report their choice of studies each year.
Robinson stressed that the bill allows local education officials to maintain control because it does not impose that districts select a certain study program. On the contrary, the proposed bill allows schools to choose any literacy program as long as it is based on literacy sciences.
The state reading leadership council, created by legislation last year, is currently in the process To develop a list of the recommended literacy program, which he should publish in June. The Senate 700 bill stipulates that the districts that adopt a study program on this list will be eligible for funding for grants to help pay the teacher training costs and implement the study program.
Reading Leadership Council should also publish recommended reading test tests and professional development programs, the bill of which requires schools.
“All this really tries to make a movement,” said state senator, Vincent Hughes, a democrat who represents a part of Philadelphia and also sponsors the Senate bill 700. He declared that the legislators wanted to ensure that the teaching of reading is rooted in “solid pedagogy, and also so that the legislators are enthusiastic about reading”.
In the meantime, House Bill 684Who is being studied by the Education Committee of the Chamber, would provide additional support for schools and teachers to implement the reading program supported by the sciences. The legislation would create a program of subsidies for schools to train teachers reading reading sciences, develop a reading coach program, mandate reading screening and provide funding intended to attract and retain reading teachers.
The financing of these programs would depend on the state budget and other subsidies.
Several defenders supported the two invoices and call on the State to provide additional funding for reading support.
“This is one thing to say that structured literacy (and) the science of reading is important,” said Julia Cadwallender, Director General of the Coalition based in Philadelphia Read by 4th. “But putting funding behind the systems that allow this change to occur is really the place where we will see an improvement for children.”
Pennsylvania reading defenders want the state to move faster
Several other states, including Indiana And Michiganhave recently adopted bills obliging that schools teach students to read an approach based on evidence. Reading scores have improved in certain states that have already implemented these programs, Like Mississippi and Louisiana.
But in Pennsylvania, some defenders fear that progress has been too slow.
“These links are really working to tackle the crisis, but we are faced with a deficit here in Pennsylvania,” said Rachael Garnick, director of the Pennsylvania coalition at Advocacy Group Teach Plus.
For Garnick, it is essential that the state has put money behind its reading initiatives to support schools and teachers. But it was difficult, she said, especially with a $ 4.5 billion apart – Recognized by State legislators – between the funding of the poorest schools in Pennsylvania and what they really receive. The legislators are currently negotiating the next state budget, which is expected to be finalized on June 30.
A case of testing new reading instructions in Pennsylvania is already underway in Philadelphia.
Last school year, the city’s school district Adopted a new program of English language arts built around the science of reading. So far, many teachers have hosted the study program, but some have said the district let them rush to implement it. The reading scores of students in the city remain well below the average state and the national average, with less than 1 year of fourth year out of 5, able to read with jurisdiction, according to Results of the national evaluation of last year.
Superintendent Tony Watlington said earlier this year The fact that he thinks that reading scores will improve in the coming years following the full deployment of the updated study program.
Garnick said that she believed that additional support and attention on the science of reading at the level of the state could make a big difference in Philadelphia and in the whole state. However, she said, the need remains high.
“It’s a very good first jump, a good first step,” said Garnick. “And there is a ton of work to do.”
Rebecca Redelmeier is a journalist at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes on public schools, early childhood education and problems that have an impact on students, families and educators of Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org.