Educators knock retention of students for failing IREAD literacy exam

Local school superintendents say the remedy for improving reading skills is a strong pre-K statewide program, not retaining students in third grade.

Senate Bill 1, which addresses childhood literacy, could hold back thousands of Indiana students.

The bill is on Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk after passing both chambers. It calls for schools to give the IREAD state assessment in second grade and provides remediation for students at risk of failing it.

State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, speaks to local education leaders during the annual Northwest Indiana School Superintendents’ Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest in Gary on March 1, 2024. (Michael Gard/Post-Tribune)

After three attempts, if a third grader doesn’t pass IREAD, they face repeating third grade. There are some exemptions for special education students and for English language learners and students who pass the math portion of a statewide exam and receive reading remediation.

The bill was one of the topics Friday as Indiana University Northwest’s School of Education hosted 13 Lake and Porter county superintendents at a roundtable luncheon.

State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, who’s also an education professor at IUN, offered a briefing on Senate Bill 1 and other education-related bills moving through the General Assembly, which is expected to adjourn its short session by Friday.

Indiana University Northwest chancellor Ken Iwama speaks to local education leaders via Zoom during the annual Northwest Indiana School Superintendents’ Luncheon at Indiana University Northwest in Gary on March 1, 2024. (Michael Gard/Post-Tribune)

“This bill has good intentions and good ideas,” said Smith who criticized the retention requirement in Senate Bill 1.

“They haven’t come up with a remediation program to get to kids before they take the test in third grade. We don’t know how to connect the dots. We’re stuck on stupid,” said Smith.

At hearings in both chambers on the bill, educators opposed its retention language. GOP leaders insisted it wasn’t intended to be a retention bill and if remediation is successful, retention won’t be an issue.

Mark Sperling, dean of the Indiana University Northwest School of Education, speaks to local education leaders during the annual Northwest Indiana School Superintendents’ Luncheon at IUN in Gary on March 1, 2024. (Michael Gard/Post-Tribune)

School boards must also establish a procedure to allow a parent to appeal a retention.

The Department of Education said 13,840 third graders didn’t pass the IREAD last year. Of those, 5,503 received an exemption and 8,337 did not. The state said about 95% of students advanced to fourth grade and just 412 were retained.

The requirement that colleges teach the science of reading is already impacting universities, said IUN interim Dean of Education Mark Sperling.

Dr. Dorothy Frink, interim vice chancellor of student affairs and enrollment management at Indiana University Northwest, speaks with local education leaders during the annual Northwest Indiana School Superintendents’ Luncheon at IUN in Gary on March 1, 2024. (Michael Gard/Post-Tribune)

“We always taught it, but now it has to be formalized. It’s part of our accreditation, too, and there’s a penalty for not doing it,” he said.

Superintendents have followed the bill closely.

“I think the focus on childhood literacy is well-intentioned and we appreciate the support for those efforts, but we’ve known for a long time that retention is not a research-based strategy,” said Duneland School Corp. Superintendent Chip Pettit.

Michelle Coughlin, director of student teaching at the Indiana University Northwest School of Education, speaks with local education leaders during the annual Northwest Indiana School Superintendents’ Luncheon at IUN in Gary on March 1, 2024. (Michael Gard/Post-Tribune)

Lake Station Superintendent Thomas Cripliver said the retention requirement could trigger an influx of third graders that increases the need for teachers or the reassigning of staff.

“If we start with Pre-K, it would be a benefit to all kids and be more of an intervention, than punitive.”

Only a handful of states offer universal Pre-K. Indiana offers On My Way Pre-K, which gives vouchers to low-income 4-year-olds. The program enrolled 6,200 students in 2022.

Portage Township Superintendent Amanda Alaniz agreed.

“Not all kids get to the same level of reading. Our concern is the lack of prevention. We should look at early learning and universal Pre-K,” she said.

River Forest Superintendent Kevin Trezak said his district is able to offer just two preschool classes that parents pay to support financially.

“Preschool is pretty expensive. We’re missing the mark. We need to address it,” he said. “This is where we should put our money.”

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.