Waterous testifes in favor of third-grade literacy bill

Senior policy analyst Frank Waterous, the Bell's specialist on education issues, testified in favor of House Bill 12-1238, a proposal to ensure that children are on track for reading proficiency by the third grade.

Third grade is a critical point in the educational development of children. It is when they transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." In short, literacy is the basis for all future learning, and that is why we made literacy for children one of our Gateways for Opportunity.

That's why we support the legislation, although we did so only after its language and recommendations were softened regarding student retention. Research has shown that it is not a long-term solution for helping students succeed.

Click here to read Waterous' testimony.