Reading proficiency law to take effect in Indiana next Monday

INDIANAPOLIS — SEA 1 was arguably the Indiana State Senate’s top priority bill during the 2024 legislative session, a bill not without controversy among educators and the Indiana State Teachers Association.

Now, months after Gov. Holcomb signed SEA 1 into law, it is set to officially take effect Monday much to the excitement of SEA 1’s author, who is a former educator herself.

”Reading is so fundamental to every part of education,” State Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger) said.

According to State Sen. Rogers, the legislation was meant to address a concerning trend in education Indiana has faced for years: roughly one in every five third graders cannot read at grade level.

”The legislation is really about identifying students that are having difficulty reading much earlier than the third grade,” State Sen. Rogers said.

This law works in conjunction with what’s been called the “Science of Reading” requirement that was part of a separate law passed in the 2023 session.

The law not only requires schools to provide summer school courses and individualized tutoring to elementary school students struggling to read but also that many K-6 teachers take 80 extra hours of free literacy training for which they receive a $1,200 stipend.

”A number of teachers have already started down this path, but they do have until July of 2027, or when they renew their license,” State Sen. Rogers said.

However, the law also requires third graders without a special exemption to be held back if they fail the state’s IREAD assessment. ISTA President Keith Gambill said while the law’s specialized support requirement could benefit kids struggling to read, the retention requirement misses the mark.

”What we are concerned about is not taking time to look at what can happen in years to come depending on the number of students that may need to be retained,” Gambill said.

But State Sen. Rogers said the long-term effects of a reading deficiency outweigh any long-term effects of being held back.

”I know that that has been somewhat controversial about retaining students, but how do we push someone on to the fourth grade if they can’t read?” State Sen. Rogers said.

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