>> THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS
CONSIDERING A BILL PROMOTING
TEACHING CHILDREN TO READ WITH
PHONICS.
THAT'S WHERE STUDENTS LEARN TO
BLEND LETTERS OR GROUPS OF
LETTERS WITH THE SOUNDS THEY
MAKE.
A TRAINING TAPE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
SHOWS HOW PHONICS WORKS IN
PRACTICE.
>> "YOU" H YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DN
AMAZING JOB BLENDING THOSE
SOUNDS TOGETHER TO READ THE
WORDS.
>> CAN WE FIX.
FIT IS ONE OF THE WORDS WE
PRACTICED BLENDING THIS WEEK.
FIT.
>> COMPONENTS OF THE BILL WOULD
SCREEN FOR READING SKILLS
STARTING IN KINDERGARTEN.
ADD NEW PHONICS-BASED
CURRICULUM, TRAIN TEACHERS OR
THAT CURRICULUM AND DEPLOY
READING COACHES, ESPECIALLY TO
STRUGGLING SCHOOLS.
THE DISCUSSION COMES AS JUST 37%
OF THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE
READERS IN WISCONSIN WERE RATED
PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED IN 2022,
AND JUST 14% TESTED AT THOSE
LEVELS IN MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
BILL AUTHOR REPRESENTATIVE JOEL
KITCHEN SAYS THIS CHANGE IS
NEEDED NOW.
>> WISCONSIN ALWAYS HAD A GREAT
TRADITION OF BEING A LEADER AND
NOW, WE ARE NOT ANYMORE.
SO I THINK IT'S PAST TIME.
WHENEVER YOU CHANGE THINGS, AND
ESPECIALLY IN EDUCATION, THEY
DON'T WANT TO BE TOLD BY
POLITICIANS ESPECIALLY HOW THEY
SHOULD BE TEACHING IN THE
CLASSROOM, WHICH IS WHY WE
REALLY NEEDED D.P. D.P.I. TO BUO
THIS.
IT'S A BILL THAT IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT AND I THINK WILL HAVE
BROAD SUPPORT AND I THINK IT IS
NICE THAT THIS SESSION WE ARE
GETTING MORE -- WE'RE
NEGOTIATING MORE, CERTAINLY,
THAN WE DID DURING THE FIRST
TERM, AND IT'S TOUGH FOR PEOPLE
TO TRUST THE OTHER SIDE AND TO
TRUST D.P.I.
WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT PUSH-BACK,
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
PUSH-BACK, ON MY SIDE NOT
TRUSTING D.P.I. TO FOLLOW
THROUGH, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE
INVOLVED.
INITIALLY, WE WERE NOT GOING TO
BE INVESTING IN THE CURRICULUM
VERY MUCH AND THAT WILL PRETTY
MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BUY THE
CURRICULUM, SO THERE'S A PRETTY
BIG EXPENSE.
WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE
TRAINING.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE A BIGGER
FISCAL IMPACT THAN WE ORIGINALLY
THOUGHT, BUT THANKFULLY THE
LEADERS IN MY CAUCUS HAVE
RECOGNIZED THAT REALLY IN
EDUCATION, WHAT CAN BE MORE
IMPORTANT THAN TEACHING KIDS TO
READ.
BUDGETS ARE REALLY TIGHT FOR
SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS, IT'S
GOING TO BE TOUGHER FOR THEM TO
DO IT, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I'VE
EVER WORKED ON IN THE CAPITOL
AND I THINK, AGAIN, WHAT COULD
BE MORE IMPORTANT.
IF WE DON'T TEACH KIDS TO READ