GOP Lawmakers Blast State as Committee OKs New Reading Standards
Wisconsin’s push to help children in the state’s schools read better took its next step forward Monday.
The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee approved four new reading programs for the state’s public schools.
JFC co-chairman Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, said more than 60% of Wisconsin fourth-graders currently cannot read or write at grade level. Born said changing the way Wisconsin teachers teach reading is the obvious first step.
“Between 60 and 70% of our kids can't read at the proper level. Who runs that system now folks? Who's the one providing the council and the guidance to all of our school districts on that now? [Department of Instruction],” Born said during Monday’s hearing. “DPI is part of the failure of our kids to read. What are we doing? We had to create legislation…so our kids can read.”
The new reading curricula are required under Wisconsin’s read overhaul law, known as Act 20. But Born said schools are not required to use the new lessons. He did say l