Illinois students will struggle throughout their educations when 7 in 10 third-graders cannot read at grade level. Illinois Policy supports and submitted testimony in favor of a bill to train Illinois teachers in ‘science of reading’ methods to boost early-grade literacy.
By Mailee Smith | Illinois Policy Institute
Many Illinois teachers were taught that reading was best fostered when youngsters guess at the words, but the traditional methods such as “sound it out” are key to improving literacy.
Those methods are known as the “science of reading,” and they would get a boost under House Bill 1368 by mandating they be part of teacher professional development. The bill unanimously passed the Illinois House April 8 and received a Senate Education Committee hearing April 29.
Illinois Policy staff attorney and Senior Director of Labor Policy Mailee Smith filed written testimony in favor of the bill. Her testimony is below.
The bill then was passed out of the committee unanimously and will next be considered by the full Illinois Senate.
Testimony in support of House Bill 1368, amending the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code
Thank you to Chairperson Loughran Cappel, Vice Chair Lightford and members of the committee.
I am Mailee Smith, staff attorney and senior director of labor policy at Illinois Policy.
The first years of school are critical years during which students must build a firm foundation of skills to become strong readers. Being a strong reader then helps children develop into strong learners.
In other words, strong reading skills early on set up students for success.
Smith’s testimony continues here.
