Reading Specialists, School Nurses Testify Against Assembly Bill 725

Waukesha reading specialist Kathy Champeau voices her opposition to Assembly Bill 725. "The stakes have never been higher," she said. "The demand for literacy skills is growing, not diminishing."

Educators, students and community members testified before the state Assembly's Committee on Education Tuesday (February 10, 2004) against a bill that could dramatically affect the quality of literacy programs in public school districts and impact school safety.

Assembly Bill 725, authored by Rep. Luther Olsen, seeks to repeal several Department of Public Instruction requirements, including a mandate that districts employ a reading specialist. The bill would also revoke the Department of Public Instruction's authority to license school nurses.

Wisconsin State Reading Association member Susan Schumann testified that other states are considering legislation requiring reading specialists in school districts. "It is apparent that Wisconsin has been the leader in this kind of initiative," she said. "Do we really want to become the follower?"

Schumann noted that school districts need reading specialists more than ever because of the burdens placed on them by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, often misleadingly referred to as the No Child Left Behind law. Because "schools face severe sanctions if high standards are not met, we have an even stronger need to require strong leadership in reading," she said.

Mishicot Education Association member Jan Gleason told the committee that reading specialists are often called upon to meet many of their school districts' needs. "We have a small community of Mexican-American and Hmong students. Because we're small, we don't qualify for ELL (English Language Learners) services, so it falls on the reading specialists," she said.

Gleason also works with students requiring extra help with reading who don't qualify for special education, prepares lessons for all elementary students to improve literacy and creates professional development programs for teachers, she said.

"I urge you to keep the mandate for a reading specialist in districts," Gleason said. "It's what's good for kids. Isn't that why we are all here?"

Brenda Krupa, a member of the Wisconsin Dells Education Association, found Rep. Olsen's proposal to eliminate DPI's authority to license school nurses especially troubling. She testified that while registered nurses are licensed by the state's Department of Regulation and Licensing, the DPI certification is key to ensure the safety of children during the school day.

"It requires additional knowledge regarding school and special education laws, health education, group education methods and assessment skills specific to school nursing practice," she said.

Krupa also testified that some school nurses have a place in their local bargaining unit based on the fact that they are certified by DPI, and the elimination of the certificate could force some nurses to give up their union protection. "For school nurses who have made the effort to meet the criteria to become and remain certified, this is unfair," she said.

The Assembly committee has not yet scheduled further action on AB 725.

Posted February 11, 2004