Reading Retention Bill Gives Parents A Say, Passes House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2014

Lawmakers praise House passage of changes to Reading Sufficiency Act

OKLAHOMA CITY – Approval in the Oklahoma House of Representatives of a reform to a law that requires third grade students to pass a reading exam or be retained was met with praise by members of the House Common Education Committee who helped craft its language.

House Bill 2625, by state Rep. Katie Henke, would replace automatic retention with a team made up of a parent or guardian, teacher, school principal and a reading specialist who would decide whether or not to promote or retain the child.

State lawmakers issued the following praise upon the bill’s passage:

“I am extremely pleased with the passage of House Bill 2625 and the bipartisan support of my colleagues in the House. Ensuring that parents and teachers have a voice in determining our children’s educational path is vital. Fostering a love of learning is one of the most important things we can do on behalf of our children, especially at such an early age. I feel that this bill addresses the important issue of reading sufficiency in a more positive way than current law and promotes an environment more conducive to student success.” – State Rep. Katie Henke, R-Tulsa

“One thing we can all agree upon is our children are not all the same and learn differently. Allowing the people closest to that child to make decisions on what is best on an individual basis would allow a more positive outcome.” – State Rep. Dennis Casey, R-Morrison

“House Bill 2625 is a great way to enhance the current law and allows these very important decisions to be made on a local level. Our parents and local education professionals are much better equipped to decide how to meet the unique needs of our students and to ensure these students receive the additional instruction they need to be successful.” – State Rep. Jadine Nollan, R-Sand Springs

“This bill recognizes the critical nature of reading in our public schools. As a result of bringing the final decision to the local level, we are ensuring that each school district is empowered to bring an intense focus on this important skill. As a former teacher and school administrator, I believe that this bill will be one of the more significant pieces of legislation passed out of the House this session. – State Rep. Ed Cannaday, D-Porum

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