(This article comes courtesy of MissouriNet.)
Third graders in Missouri’s public schools could be held back one year if they’re not reading at a 3rd-grade level under legislation in a Missouri Senate committee.
HB 2872 has already passed the Missouri House. The sponsor – State Rep. Cathy Jo Loy, R-Carthage – said not being able to read at a 3rd-grade level can block a student’s ability to learn other subjects.
“After the 3rd grade, that child should be reading,” Loy told Missourinet. “That’s how they do math and science and history and all the things that they need to read to them to learn.”
Brandi Turner, Superintendent of Taneyville R-2 School District, opposes the bill. She testified at a public hearing Tuesday that it could disrupt progress from a phonics-based reading curriculum installed in Missouri schools three years ago.
“We are seeing progress. However, meaningful, systematic change requires time, consistency, and sustained support,” Turner said. “We’re in a marathon with the training, and we’re not in a sprint to see the outcomes.”
The Missouri Senate Committee on Education has not yet voted on HB 2872.
Copyright © 2026 · Missourinet
