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Redford Union board condemns proposed state dyslexia testing mandate as unfunded and potentially harmful
Summary
Board members said a proposed law that would require K—1 students to be screened three times a year for dyslexia is an unfunded mandate that risks labeling children and restricting classroom interventions; they also noted a $125 million one-time state payment for school safety is inadequate.
Board President, speaking at the Oct. 14 Redford Union Schools District No. 1 board meeting, criticized recent proposals from Lansing that officials said would require K—1 students to be screened three times a year for dyslexia and called the plan an "unfunded mandate." "It's gonna label kids who aren't dyslexic," the president said, adding that the law would remove tools teachers now use until formal processes like an IEP are completed.
The board also discussed a one-time state payment of $125,000,000 for school safety and social-emotional supports. The president described that payment as insufficient to restore prior supports and urged continued advocacy through the Michigan Association of School Boards. "We know that's not enough. We know we need to keep pushing for that," the president said.
Superintendent Witt and several board members said the dyslexia bill appears to be newly introduced and has drawn pushback from other district leaders and literacy experts. "My colleagues ... have testified in Lansing about how ridiculous this legislation is," Witt said, citing concerns that the bill was drafted without deep literacy expertise.
The board discussed how the proposed structure could prevent teachers from using common classroom interventions until a child is formally identified and placed on an IEP, creating additional work and delaying support. "They can't get those interventions in place until they've tested 3 times, a child's been flagged, they've put an IEP in place," the president said.
Not all comments were oppositional on substance: Executive Director of Curriculum and Technology Crenshaw noted the district's new ELA reading series (Amira) "does have a dyslexia screener included in the program," and "we can give it 3 times a year," which she said could position the district ahead if the requirement becomes law.
Board members also discussed parallel legislative items, including ongoing negotiations around MPSERS and health-care costs for retirees, and anti-vaping enforcement measures under consideration at the state level. The board did not take a formal vote on a legislative position at the meeting; members instead urged continued monitoring and engagement with MASB and state legislators.
The board indicated concern about both the policy details and the lack of funding or clear guidance accompanying any new testing requirements. No district-level implementation steps were adopted at the meeting; board members discussed next steps for advocacy and information-sharing with parents and staff.
