Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia), who just a year ago was transitioning from a high school English teacher to a state legislator, has introduced SB 633, which would strike the retention requirement in the 3^rd grade reading law.

In a recent Detroit News column, Polehanki shared her reasoning behind introducing the legislation.  “Let’s trust our teachers and schools to determine who to retain and when rather than forcing a test-based grade promotion law on them,” Polehanki said.

“No two students are alike. Retaining kids based solely on a test score isn’t innovation — it’s regression. We must do away with the test-and-punish piece of Michigan’s reading law, invest in early childhood education and literacy coaches, and give families and education professionals the ability to tailor a path that is right for each student.”

Read Sen. Polehanki’s column here.