Missouri Educators Challenge Bill Requiring Third Graders to Repeat Grade
School administrators tell Senate committee that existing literacy programs are working and automatic retention could disrupt progress.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — Missouri school administrators are pushing back against proposed legislation that would automatically hold back third-grade students struggling with reading, arguing that recent literacy improvements show existing programs are working.
State Rep. Cathy Jo Loy, a Republican from Carthage, defended her bill before the Senate Education Committee Tuesday morning, describing it as a “tourniquet” designed to “stop the bleed of children who are not reading.”
However, educators testified that the state’s current approach is showing results three years after implementation of a phonics-based teacher training program.
Educators Report Progress Under Current System
“We are seeing progress,” said Brandi Turner, Taneyville Superintendent. “Meaningful, systematic change requires time, consistency and sustained support.”
Turner argued that lawmakers should “allow time to fully implement” the 2022 law that mandated evidence-based reading instruction with interventions for struggling readers. The legislation prompted the state education department to launch its “Read, Lead, Exceed” initiative, which has trained over 10,000 educators in three years.
“Retention does not address the root cause of reading difficulties,” Turner told the committee. “It simply delays progression without guaranteeing improved outcomes. While the intent is to support struggling readers, the practice itself does not remedy the underlying challenges students face.”
Mississippi Model Influences Retention Debate
Loy’s proposal follows a trend among states examining mandatory retention policies, particularly after Mississippi adopted such measures in 2013 as part of comprehensive literacy legislation.
Since implementing its retention policy, Mississippi’s fourth-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have improved from 49th in the nation to significantly higher rankings, according to the Missouri Independent.
Timing Concerns Dominate Discussion
The debate centers on whether Missouri should allow its current literacy initiatives more time to demonstrate results before implementing mandatory retention policies. The 2022 law established evidence-based reading instruction requirements and intervention programs for students falling behind.
School administrators emphasized that the existing “Read, Lead, Exceed” initiative has already reached thousands of educators statewide, providing them with research-based instructional methods and support resources.
The Senate Education Committee has not scheduled a vote on Loy’s bill, which would represent a significant shift in how Missouri addresses reading challenges among elementary students.
