Bill to Help Struggling Students Moves on to the Senate

(KCPW News) A bill aimed at making sure parents are notified when their children are struggling with reading passed a Senate Committee Monday afternoon at the state legislature, and is now on its way to the Senate floor.

“At the midpoint of the year there is requirement that if  a child is struggling, if they’re falling behind in their reading abilities then their parents must be notified,”  said State Senator Karen Morgan. “That notification needs to be given to those parents no later than February 15th.”

Morgan says her bill adds a few simple clarifications to a law that she sponsored and passed last year, which required reading testing for all students in grades one through three.

“Last year I ran the bill with more flexibility,” Morgan said.  “I put the testing requirements in place but I gave the district some leeway. But, they came back to me and said they want a deadline, we want you to tell us what has to be done by a certain date,  so that is what this bill does.”

The State Board of Education has not taken a position on the bill. It passed out of committee unanimously.