State Senate Passes Bill Requiring Additional Literacy Testing for Wisconsin Students

Tuesday, October 26th, 2021 -- 10:01 AM

(Bob Hague, WRN) Young children in Wisconsin's K-12 schools would get additional literacy testing, under a bill passed by the state Senate on Monday.

Republican state Senator Kathy Bernier of Chippewa Falls, one of the bill's authors, said additional testing for students between 4K and 2nd grade will help improve reading proficiency. "Sixty four percent of all Wisconsin children do not read proficiently."

Milwaukee Democrat, Senator Lean Taylor, says the state's reading deficiencies have been apparent for some time. "I stood on this floor and talked about the horrific gap. Not just between black and kids and white kids but between and other states."

The bill, oppose by education officials in part because it's not fully funded to cover additional costs, passed 20-12 on Monday. The state Assembly takes it up on Tuesday. It's not clear whether Governor Tony Evers will veto it.

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