Rep. Kelly urges urgent action on literacy bill as committee adopts training requirement

Representative Kelly urged the House Education and Workforce Committee to approve HB 5646’s H-1 substitute as a response to what he called Michigan’s “literacy crisis.” He told the panel, “HB 5646 isn't just a policy update, it's a long overdue rescue mission for the next generation of Michigan's workers, citizens, and leaders.”

Kelly argued that many teacher-preparation programs continue to teach “failed feel-good literacy theories” and said the state should require the science of reading as a condition for certification. “If a university or prep program refuses to equip our teachers with biological and phonetic tools required to teach a child to read, they have forfeited their right to operate in this state,” Kelly said, framing the requirement as accountability tied to taxpayer investment.

The H-1 substitute, which the committee adopted in a roll call, requires the state superintendent to issue a teaching certificate or applicable endorsement only to individuals who have completed a teacher-preparation program that includes science-of-reading training. The measure aims to ensure teacher-preparation spending results in educators with explicit phonics and decoding instruction skills rather than untested literacy approaches.

Representative Calzar asked whether the state would fund training to make implementation universal; Kelly responded there is “alignment with the governor, state superintendent” and indicated funding could be provided through the budget and legislative action. Representative St. Germaine and others pressed on preparation costs and coursework content, with St. Germaine noting the high cost of a teacher-preparation pathway and urging a back-to-basics focus.

The committee also read multiple letters of support into the record from education organizations and advocacy groups. The committee adopted the H-1 substitute on a recorded vote reported by the clerk.