Michigan House Leadership Seeks to Reinstate Third Grade Reading Law Amid Budget Talks
Michigan House leadership is pushing to reinstate the state's third grade reading law, which was repealed under previous Democratic control. The law mandated that students must read proficiently by third grade or face being held back, though it included several exceptions. House Speaker Matt Hall argues that reinstating the law is crucial to improving Michigan's reading scores, which are currently low. He emphasizes that this initiative should be part of the state budget negotiations, focusing on accountability, spending, and teacher training in phonics. Despite bipartisan agreement on the importance of literacy, the proposal faces opposition, particularly from House Democrats who argue that simply holding students back is not an effective solution. Democratic House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri has criticized the move as a political stunt, and the proposal may struggle to pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate. 
