House Democrats Introduce Plan to Address Literacy

Liz Gullett

May 31, 2019

Members of the House Democratic Caucus announced their plan to address the literacy crisis in the state. Named the Better Outcomes in Literacy and Development Plan, it aims to combat the root causes of illiteracy across the state by addressing critical issues in early childhood. Currently, Michigan ranks 41^st in the country in reading.

The proposal would:

- Amend the Michigan Constitution to establish literacy as a right.
- Increase the reimbursement rate in the Great Start to Quality Evaluation System to encourage participation in the program.
- Expand Great Start Readiness Program eligibility to 3-year-old children.
- Expand eligibility for the Great Start Readiness Program to include families with income from 250% up to 350% of the federal poverty line.
- Help identify kindergarten students who are behind in reading earlier to help teachers address their needs quickly.
- Increase funding to the in-home visit programs at the ISD level so that they can meet this need in their communities.
- Increase funding for the Every Child Ready to Read Program offered through libraries to give educational resources on early literacy to parents and caregivers.
- Establish a Literacy Bill of Rights.
- Repeal the mandatory retention part of the 3rd grade reading law.

The legislation has been referred to the House Education and Appropriations Committees for consideration.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.