LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source)- Late last week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that would remove the retention from the Read By Grade Three Law which could be used to hold students’ who tested below standards back one year. 

“Getting this done will offer parents more flexibility and ensure educators can focus on doing what they do best—helping students reach their full potential,” Gov. Whitmer said. 

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Implemented in 2016, the Read By Grade Three law contained a section that would allow schools to hold students back a year, if they scored below a  1252 on the state M-STEP English Language Arts (ELA) test.  However, parents also had several routes they could take in order to circumvent the retention requirement.  

Supporters of the legislation include State Senator Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) who sponsored the senate version of the bill. 

“Parents and schools should be trusted to make decisions about grade retention—the state shouldn’t mass-flunk 3rd graders without parent input based on one test,” Senator Polehanki said. “It’s a great day for educational freedom for Michigan’s parents and students.” 

On the house side, Representative Nate Shannon (D-Sterling Heights) also supported the bill, and called the retention requirement “harmful.” 

“Rather than being reactive, let’s be proactive in our approach to kids and literacy.  Retention has been a constant threat hanging over our students’ heads,” Representative Shannon, “We could use the resources that are spent on retaining students and put that towards more literacy coaches, reading intervention specialists, and provide afterschool and summer school programs to address the issue.” 

When the bill was discussed by the Education Committee, Minority Vice Chair and Representative Jaime Greene (R-Richmond) questioned if the retention would be removed.  

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“If we are not going to retain them, then what are we going to do?,” Rep. Greene said, “we gotta do something.” 

Also at an earlier hearing regarding the bill, State Superintendent Michael Rice encouraged the repeal of the requirement, but also advocated for implementing more teacher supports and tutoring opportunities for students. 

“There is nothing more important to literacy achievement than an extra year of education in that 0 to 5 year period of time, it is enormously supported in research,” Rice said, “Supporting the Governor’s call to have all four year old children having access to at least a year of high quality preschool, it’s not just supported relative to educational outcomes, but also life outcomes.” 

A report by the House Fiscal Agency revealed that Michigan ranks in the bottom half in the percentage of students who score proficient or higher on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP).  Additionally, Michigan’s score ranks it 44th out of 52 in fourth grade reading scores. In 2022, the average 4th grader scored below the national average in reading.  

Last year marked one of the first years that the RBG3 law was in effect, but only one out of every ten third graders who were eligible for retention were actually held back. 

Another state considering alterations to its Read By Grade Three law, is Tennessee, which has advanced legislation that would increase supports for those at risk of failing its equivalent state test requirement, however, it is not seeking to repeal the retention requirement.  The state’s 4th grader scores were a few points higher than Michigan.  

While the House voted for immediate effect, the Senate did not vote for immediate effect before sending the legislation to the Governor’s desk.