MORGANTOWN – The House Education Committee quickly reviewed and passed a condensed version of a reading and math skills bill up for passage in the Senate.
In the Senate, SB 274, the Third Grade Success Act, is on third reading for passage on Tuesday. A floor amendment dealing with dyslexia screeners is posted for consideration at that time.
House Education approved HB 3293. While SB 274 runs 21 pages, HB 3293 is only eight pages.
SB 274 discusses the “science of reading” and requires classrooms over a certain size to have ECCATs – early childhood classroom assistant teachers – to work alongside teachers in the classrooms.
HB 3293 covers just one section of the Senate bill, dealing with Education of Exceptional Children, and focuses on dyslexia and dyscalculia – – a math learning disorder.
It requires the state Board of Education to develop a literacy and numeracy policy for each county to follow. That must include appropriate screeners for learning disabilities, including dyslexia and dyscalculia.
The policy must also include appropriate instruction and accommodations for students identified with risk factors, and a system for families to receive information on dyslexia.
Every K-2 student would be screened three times per year. Students in grades 3-5 who transfer to a new school would be screened at their new school.
SB 274 says that children whose reading deficiencies are not corrected by third grade will be held back unless an exemption is met. This would begin for the school year starting July 1, 2026.
HB 3293 does not contain this provision.
Before the unanimous voice vote, committee vice chair Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, said the bill has gone through many stages and drafts. “We do believe we’ve come up with a good piece of legislation” to address many of the literacy and issues facing West Virginia students.
The bill now goes to the full House.
A separate House bill, HB 2003, covers another portion of SB 274. HB 2003 calls for the hiring of 2,500 assistant teachers and creates provisions that would allow teachers to hold back students in third grade if they aren’t reading on a proficient level. House Education approved it on Jan. 19 and it’s been sitting in Finance ever since.
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