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House panel hears testimony and reports bill to require Orton Gillingham training for dyslexia instruction
Summary
After testimony from a teacher, a superintendent and a principal, the committee reported HB 50 81 with a recommendation; the sponsor’s H‑1 substitute would require a minimum of 30 hours of Orton Gillingham training with 10-hour annual updates and sets an implementation date of January 2027.
The House Education and Workforce Committee heard detailed testimony on House Bill 50 81, sponsored by Representative Schmaltz, and voted to report the bill with recommendation after a round of questions from committee members.
Representative Schmaltz framed the bill as a response to persistent reading difficulties among students with dyslexia and said the measure would require at least one teacher in each school district or building to be trained in Orton Gillingham, which she called the "gold standard" for dyslexia instruction. She described an H-1 substitute that would require a minimum of 30 hours of initial training through the International Dyslexia Association or the Michigan Dyslexia Institute, with 10 hours of ongoing annual training, and an implementation date of January 2027.
Testimony included classroom perspective and district outcomes. Kristen Joseph, a learning specialist with 32 years in the classroom, described the multisensory techniques used in Orton Gillingham — such as skywriting, sand trays and sound chips — and said the bill would ensure at least one trained practitioner per building to guide interventions and validate the approach. "This is the gold standard," Joseph said, and she spoke of students who regained reading skills after targeted Orton Gillingham intervention.
Dr. Rebecca Hutchinson, superintendent of Concord Community Schools, told the committee that Concord’s recent use of Orton Gillingham in intervention yielded measurable results: "Our data has shown at the end of the year that 54 percent of our students made more than a year's worth of growth in 9 months time," she said, and she described plans to train all teachers in her district in the coming year.
Committee members pressed on implementation details. Representative Burns asked about statewide cost; Representative Schmaltz said she had spoken to appropriations and estimated roughly $1 million to $1.5 million to implement the training across school districts and said some money exists in the literacy budget to cover the effort. Members asked whether the bill would limit competition by singling out two providers; Schmaltz said she selected the International Dyslexia Association and the Michigan Dyslexia Institute because she had observed their programs and outcomes and wanted a recognized standard for training while acknowledging other vendors could exist.
Members also sought clarity on scope: Representative Weiss confirmed the sponsor’s explanation that the requirement would apply to school districts, intermediate school districts and public academies, and that districts already trained in Orton Gillingham would meet the requirement if the department approves the provider.
After testimony and questions, Vice Chair Linting moved to report HB 50 81 with recommendation; the clerk called the roll and the committee approved the motion in the roll call sequence recorded in the transcript. The committee adjourned after thanking witnesses and attendees.
What happens next: With the committee report complete, HB 50 81 will move to the next step in House procedures; sponsors, appropriators and the department will need to clarify funding, vendor approval and implementation logistics ahead of any floor consideration.
