Representative Joe Tate
The Honorable Speaker of the House

Dear Speaker Tate,

As you prepare your list of priorities for the remainder of the year, we urge you to include Senate Bills 567 and 568 which make the critical changes needed to improve the Read by Grade Three law.

Michigan is facing a reading crisis among early elementary students. Recent data show that more than half of Michigan’s third graders have a “reading deficiency,” reinforcing that Michigan struggles to provide these students the most important skill they will need to succeed in learning. Decades of research shows that promoting early literacy is key to improving education overall. If students read well by third grade, they have a better chance to succeed in school, are far more likely to go to college, participate in the job market and even have greater lifetime employment earnings. That is not the case in Michigan, which is missing the mark on improving reading instruction. That is despite the good intentions of the Read by Grade Three law.

The good news is that passing Senate Bills 567 and 568 would be a big step towards reversing this trend. These bills would require schools to screen early elementary students for characteristics of dyslexia and provide multi-tier levels of support for students who demonstrate those characteristics. These interventions would be research based with a track record of proven effectiveness in teaching students how to read.

Key parts of the proposed law would require universities to provide specific training to future teachers on how to instruct students with dyslexia. The bills also ensure that all current teachers receive professional development on how to provide the necessary resources for these students using evidence-based instructional methods and interventions to teach reading based on the science of reading. These methods, detailed in the legislation, will empower teachers so they can effectively teach all children the foundational skills needed to be strong readers.

These bills passed overwhelmingly in the Senate and have bi-partisan support in the House Education Committee. Now is the time to act on this critical issue that impacts up to 20 percent of Michigan students. These students should not have to wait any longer to receive the help they need to become strong readers. We need your support and leadership on this issue. We urge you to make passage of these bills a top priority.

Sincerely,

The Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity
partnersformistudents.org