To prohibit “social promotions” of third graders who have not reached minimum reading proficiency benchmarks specified in the bill.   Official Text and Analysis.

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-5) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

To tweak the "interventions" the bill requires before a still-illiterate third grader may be held back by specifying that they be "systematic, explicit, multisensory and sequential".

To clarify a provision that requires the parents to be notified if child is "not enrolled in fourth grade" due to the bill's requirements.

To narrow the scope of the bill to school districts that get money from and meet the conditions of an existing reading intervention program.

To require a still-illiterate third grader's parents to agree that in writing that the benefits of not advancing to fourth grade exceed the potential negative consequences, or else the child would be advanced.

To not hold back still-illiterate third graders from advancing to fourth grade, but do require them to remain in third grade reading classes.

To move back implementation to the 2018-2019 school year (the final House version moves it back to 2019-2020).

To authorize lawsuits against school districts in which there are third graders who have not learned how to read, forcing them to spend more to teach them.

To require schools in which still-illiterate third graders were held back to post specified details on their website (not including student names though).

To add $23.9 million to the state budget to pay for more teacher training, more "screening and diagnostic tools," more ISD "literacy coaches" and more money to school districts.

To require the state to finish grading statewide third grade reading tests by June 1 each year.

To expand an exemption for some students to the proposed policy.

To change the standard that third graders must meet to advance to fourth from "mastery" to "competence" in reading.

To move the proposed policy back to the 2019-2020 school year.

To change a provision that "encourages" school districts to provide extra support to students who are not native English speakers, so it also applies to Hindi and Korean speakers, in addition to Spanish, Chinese or Arabic.

To prohibit “social promotions” of third graders who have not reached minimum reading benchmarks, subject to many conditions and exceptions, and with requirements that additional "intervention" programs be created (including summer school) and individual tutoring provided before a student is actually held back. This would not take effect until the 2019-2020 school year.

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-6) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

To revise details of the procedures and definitions the bill would institute.

To prohibit “social promotions” of third graders who have not reached minimum reading benchmarks, subject to many conditions and exceptions, and with requirements that additional "intervention" programs be created and individual tutoring provided before a student is actually held back. This would not take effect until the 2019-2020 school year.

To concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.

To prohibit “social promotions” of third graders who have not reached minimum reading benchmarks, subject to many conditions and exceptions, and with requirements that additional intervention programs be created and individual tutoring provided before a student is actually held back. This would not take effect until the 2019-2020 school year. This final version of the bill removes a Senate provision to let teachers and principals provide exceptions, and allows a school district superintendent to do so only if the student is proficient in other subjects.

To concur with the House-passed version of the bill.