Education group skeptical of third grade proposal

DES MOINES - Gov. Terry Branstad fielded some critical questions Thursday about his education reform package from the people who teach future teachers.

Branstad met with about five dozen members of the Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Education in the Capitol Rotunda to highlight parts his sweeping education proposal, specifically those that concern education students and new teachers.

But the first question he took was about the proposed statewide reading program, which includes a controversial provision to hold back third-graders if they can't pass a mandatory reading test.

“The third-grade retention really keeps me awake at night,” said Dale Blez, an associate professor of educational psychology and child development at St. Ambrose University, after the discussion.

“The governor talks about the how it works in Florida, and there are some questions of the research there,” Blez said. “The problem is we have 40 to 50 years of research that shows that children who are retained are more likely to drop out.”

Florida has had a third-grade reading retention program in place since the 2001-02 school year. Third grade is the level where children generally switch from learning to read to reading to learn.

Advocates of the Florida program say it has helped raise reading scores in that state, but skeptics say it can do more harm than good if a child is held back.

“We could win the battle by raising the reading scores a few points, but lose the overall war when others drop out,” Blez said.

The reform package has been debated in a House subcommittee for the past three weeks. Late Wednesday night, House members finished their work on the bill, and amendments are expected from both Republicans and Democrats.

The Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Education represents 32 colleges and universities that educate teachers.

Of the four questions Branstad took from the audience, two were on the third-grade retention plan. The other two asked about how the effectiveness of tightening the restrictions on who can become a teacher would be measured.

“We should see a change in the test results,” Branstad said.

Those restrictions include a requirement that future teachers hold at least a 3.0 grade-point average.