Literacy Skills Screening Bill Heads to Governor Evers' Desk

Wednesday, October 27th, 2021 -- 8:03 AM

(Bob Hague, WRN) Students would be screened for literacy skills at least three times each school year in kindergarten through second-grade, under a bill headed to the governor’s desk.

On the Assembly floor Tuesday, Racine Republican Robert Wittke explained the stark realities the bill hopes to address. “Six-hundred thousand children in this state cannot read to grade level. We have the worst racial achievement gaps in the country.”

Democrat and educator LaKeshia Myers of Milwaukee supports the measure. “I’m tired of the same data, reporting the same thing year after year. It’s time for us to stop making excuses and actually do something.”

Myers is a vocal supporter of the Republican authored legislation which passed the Assembly on Tuesday. “I don’t care who introduced this bill, whether it was a Republican, whether it was a Democrat, whether it was Jesus himself, I will still go along with this bill.”

Representative Don Vruwink of Milton, a retired educator, was critical. “It seems to me here in the Assembly we have continually slapped a band-aid and said ‘this is going to fix the problem.’”

Myers stated, “I’m tired of excuses, on both sides. This is about getting kids early enough, so that they can move forward.” The bill is opposed by several groups representing school districts, and it’s not clear whether Governor Tony Evers will sign it.

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