Michigan 3rd Graders and Reading Proficency

A bill in Michigan to improve childhood literacy is moving forward in the Michigan Legislature after a committee reached a compromise on the controversial provisions Michigan should hold back students who fail to read proficiently by third grade.

This comprise, which was approved by a six-member conference committee comprised of members of the Michigan House and Senate, will allow 3rd graders who can't read at grade-level to advance to fourth-grade.  They will be able to advanced if they receive remedial reading instruction and demonstrate proficiency in other subjects through state assessment or work samples.

To show they're reading at grade level, students must demonstrate proficiency in one of three ways:

1. Through Michigan's state standardized test,
2. an alternative assessment,
3. or multiple work samples that show competency on all third-grade English language art standards.