TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate has approved a modified version of Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposal to hold back young pupils who lack sufficient reading skills.
The compromise measure worked out with House negotiators cleared the Senate Thursday on a vote of 29-11. A vote in the House was expected Friday.
The bill would require low-performing school districts to retain first-graders who aren’t proficient in reading based on an assessment. Any decision to hold a child back would require consultation between parents and school officials.
Brownback proposed in January that third-graders be held back if their reading scores were lacking. The proposal was part of his policy to improve fourth-grade reading scores statewide.
