LB-651 is a HORRIBLE Idea

Another day and another potential crisis for public education in Nebraska....Senator Linehan, a school choice advocate, wants to pass LB-651, which would require school districts to fail and retain 3rd graders that don't pass a high stakes reading level exam. Here is the email I sent off to all state senators earlier today....

State Senators:

LB-651 has caused quite a stir....folks in the Governor's office and even a few of you have taken jabs at public education by verbalizing that we are "against 3rd graders reading at/above grade level." It's always interesting to see how those clamoring for "school choice" take any attempt they can to try and make public education look bad.

We're opposed to LB-651 because of the retention piece, that we know from numerous studies, is harmful to children. (John Hattie's Study Regarding the Effects of Grade Retention)

We'd love for any and all of you to come visit York Elementary School at any time to go through our K-3rd grade reading program. Shadow our classroom teachers and/or our Title I teachers and/or our numerous community and parent volunteers to watch the small group work they do every single day. Come watch our DIBELS testing. Come see our tiered interventions. We bust our tails to help ALL kids read at and above grade level.

We're obviously not opposed to teaching children to read. That's laughable. We're extremely accountable to do so through NeSA and AQUESST.

We utilize numerous resources before school, during school, after school, and over the summer to deliver reading interventions in a variety of ways to help ALL readers improve their reading and comprehension abilities.

I know the "school choice advocates" are scurrying to find ways to make public schools look bad. I get that. They have orders to make school choice happen in Nebraska. They think allowing charter schools that aren't governed by locally elected school boards, that don't have transparency, don't have to follow public school guidelines, etc. is the way to go.

LB-651 isn't the answer. Forced retention of children is a horrible idea.

Did anyone behind this bill reach out to any school districts to see what they do to help struggling readers? Did this bill have any support within the education committee?

If LB-651 passes and we get charter schools at some point, will they also have to follow this guideline?

Please vote down LB-651. It's bad for children. Please reach out to your school districts (or York) and see what is already taking place.