>> 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.

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