Bill would hold students back for not reading at grade level

[chloe]

By Nadine Wimmer

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SALT LAKE CITY -- A state senator has proposed a bill that would require elementary school students to read at grade level before they can move on to the next grade. It sounds reasonable, until you look at the numbers and realize how many Utah students wouldn't make it.

"If children can't read, they can't succeed," says Sen. Karen Morgan, D-Salt Lake City.

As a literacy advocate, Morgan knows reading is the fundamental skill for children in Kindergarten through third grade. That's why she's proposed Senate Bill 150 to end social promotion, and instead tie moving on to reading performance.

"So that the school and the parent can provide interventions and help the child get them up to grade level by the end of the year," Morgan explains.
The bill requires schools to notify parents when their kids aren't making the grade and gives them until summer to improve.

Most parents at school pickup told us reading alone shouldn't hold a child back from their peers.

"Well, not just one subject; but if it's all other subjects than just one, then I could see [that]," says parent Bonnie Anderson Brinkley. Parent Suli Malu says, "I would be upset if they would hold my daughter or son back."

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9648342

[PostmodernProphet]

Parent Suli Malu says, "I would be upset if they would hold my daughter or son back."

I wonder if she would be upset if they grew up unable to read..........

[Gaffer]

In order to do well in other subjects one must know how to read. It is the key to all education.

[Monkeybone]

I have to agree with this. From seeing how some kids write in High School... it is horrible. You just have to think to yourself, "how did they get this far?".

Now, I think it should be proactively looked at. If someone is on a little downside... then let them go, but they have to take a reading lab or something. But I have seen too much of the attitude of "just pass them" when it comes to kids. That is why they are lowering the grading standards.... you have to get a 40% to fail! That is ridiculous and my local High school. The school that I went to you failed at 69%.

So what I was really trying to get through on that post was, help the kids, if they just need an extra nudge... help them... if they have no grasp... make them repeat a grade. You see too much pandering and not wanting to make the kid feel bad nowadays.

[Binky]

I remember a time that if you failed a class you were not passed to the next grade level and had to repeat it.... Now we mamby pamby coddle the students letting them get away with whatever, whether it be bad behavior, or failing grades...

[HogTrash]

I wonder if she would be upset if they grew up unable to read..........

As many children do now days, especially among the lesser intelligent minorities.

[Trigg]

It has gotten ridiculous how many kids these days read below grade level and still pass to the next grade.

The schools aren't doing these kids any favors by passing them through.

[Agnapostate]

As many children do now days, especially among the lesser intelligent minorities.

The natural solution is removal of the population of every trailer park in Alabama to its point of origin in Western Europe.

[Trigg]

The natural solution is removal of the population of every trailer park in Alabama to its point of origin in Western Europe.

your trying to be a smartass, but you really should look up the on time graduation rates by race/ethinicity.

[Kathianne]

I have to agree with this. From seeing how some kids write in High School... it is horrible. You just have to think to yourself, "how did they get this far?".

Now, I think it should be proactively looked at. If someone is on a little downside... then let them go, but they have to take a reading lab or something. But I have seen too much of the attitude of "just pass them" when it comes to kids. That is why they are lowering the grading standards.... you have to get a 40% to fail! That is ridiculous and my local High school. The school that I went to you failed at 69%.

So what I was really trying to get through on that post was, help the kids, if they just need an extra nudge... help them... if they have no grasp... make them repeat a grade. You see too much pandering and not wanting to make the kid feel bad nowadays.

Legally schools cannot hold students in the same grade without parents permission in IL. However, the school may withhold a 'certificate of completion' if the student fails the curriculum proscribed for grammar school. The high schools will not admit into regular curriculum a child without that certificate. Usually that means several summer school classes. If those are not fulfilled, they will be put into an alternative program in self-contained classroom.

The above is assuming there aren't identified learning disabilities which might account for other arrangements.

[HogTrash]

The natural solution is removal of the population of every trailer park in Alabama to its point of origin in Western Europe.

You better get some sleep little Aggy.

Don't you have to be at the local Home Depot early in the morning?

[DragonStryk72]

By Nadine Wimmer

<!-- ===================[ STORY BODY : RICH TEXT ]================= -->
SALT LAKE CITY -- A state senator has proposed a bill that would require elementary school students to read at grade level before they can move on to the next grade. It sounds reasonable, until you look at the numbers and realize how many Utah students wouldn't make it.

"If children can't read, they can't succeed," says Sen. Karen Morgan, D-Salt Lake City.

As a literacy advocate, Morgan knows reading is the fundamental skill for children in Kindergarten through third grade. That's why she's proposed Senate Bill 150 to end social promotion, and instead tie moving on to reading performance.

"So that the school and the parent can provide interventions and help the child get them up to grade level by the end of the year," Morgan explains.
The bill requires schools to notify parents when their kids aren't making the grade and gives them until summer to improve.

Most parents at school pickup told us reading alone shouldn't hold a child back from their peers.

"Well, not just one subject; but if it's all other subjects than just one, then I could see [that]," says parent Bonnie Anderson Brinkley. Parent Suli Malu says, "I would be upset if they would hold my daughter or son back."

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9648342

Actually, I agree with the bill. Parents are so worried about their kid "feeling bad" that they're giving them complexes they would not otherwise happen. If they aren't at their grade level, they should not be moving to the next one, it's as simple as that. Everyone keeps making this enormous deal out of it, but really, we've had kids get held back previously, or end up in summer school, it's not as bad as they make out. Failure is how we learn.

[Agnapostate]

You better get some sleep little Aggy.

Don't you have to be at the local Home Depot early in the morning?

Why? You need help to fix your own damn outhouse, Cletus? I guess you miss Scotland, where you could just wade into the swamp bog and lift your kilt. Half the Scotch babies are delivered that way, I understand.

[Kathianne]

Tracking is good, especially in early grades. Unfortunately schools don't like to do anymore, hurts 'self-esteem.' Load of hooey!

[Mr. P]

Maybe the first thing to do is fire all the teachers and hire new. Only after they can pass the tests first though. BTW they get up in arms whenever they must meet subject standards.

We started a testing program like this in Ga a few yrs ago.
Oh, yea, the chit hit the fan all right. Then things calmed down and now...look how the Pros are dealing with the it. This is NOT the first time tests have been tampered with to show passing scores.

The state of Georgia will begin an audit to address a school cheating scandal.
The state school board voted to investigate 191 Georgia schools based on an audit of student tests.
The audit identified erasures on the tests that could indicate changed results by administrators.
Georgia is trying to clean up their image after several Atlanta area schools were caught changing tests to improve their scores.

http://wdef.com/news/georgia_investi...eating/02/2010

The state school board Thursday ordered immediate investigations of 191 Georgia schools facing questions of tampering with last spring's standardized tests....

The Governor's Office of Student Achievement released a report Wednesday about a statewide analysis of erasure marks on student answer sheets, cautioning the public to wait for further investigative results before forming an opinion. On Thursday, however, educators and lawmakers alike worried damage had already been done.YA THINK?

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-poli...ns-298708.html