Join Cheri on this Special Edition of The Writing Glitch is PA House Representative Jason Ortitay. He discusses the importance of mandating education for writing skills, as many teachers struggle to teach writing effectively.

PA House Bill 998 and Senate Bill 801:

• The interviewee explains that both bills aim to introduce legislation related to education.
• The bills have the same content but different bill numbers.
• The bills have bipartisan support, with Republican and Democrat co-primes in both the House and Senate.
• The interviewee emphasizes that the bills' primary goal is to improve education, irrespective of political affiliations.

Key Provisions of the Bills:

1. Early Screenings:
   • Kindergarten through third-grade students will be screened three times a year to track progress.
   • The goal is to ensure students are on track with their reading skills and provide support if needed.
   • The interviewee emphasizes the importance of proficient reading skills by the end of third grade.
2. Individualized Plans:
   • If students are falling behind in their reading skills, they will receive individualized improvement or reading plans.
   • Teachers, parents, and students will collaborate on these plans to prevent students from falling further behind.
3. Cost Savings:
   • The interviewee highlights the cost savings associated with early intervention.
   • Educating students with special needs costs significantly more, making early screening and intervention financially prudent.
4. Teacher Training:
   • K-4 teachers, administrators, reading specialists, and special education teachers will receive training in structured literacy.
   • The state will provide financial resources to support teacher training.
5. Vendor Selection:
   • A committee of subject matter experts will select high-quality vendors for structured literacy programs.
   • School districts can choose from this list of approved vendors, simplifying the selection process.
6. State Reporting:
   • The bill requires school districts to report their use of structured literacy programs to the Department of Education.
   • The state will track progress and gather data to ensure the effectiveness of the programs.
7. Ban on "Three-Cueing":
   • The bill prohibits the use of "three-cueing" methods in Pennsylvania.
   • This move aims to promote evidence-based approaches and discontinue ineffective practices.
8. Writing Instruction:
   • The interviewee acknowledges the importance of incorporating structured writing instruction into future bills.
   • The focus is on creating explicit, systematic, cumulative, multisensory writing programs.
   • The goal is to address the gap in writing education within structured literacy programs.

Conclusion:

• The interviewee discusses the challenges of passing comprehensive legislation and the need for ongoing efforts to improve education.
• Future steps may include recapturing students who were not reached by the initial programs and further enhancing writing instruction.

House Bill 998
Senate Bill 801