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HB 5124

AN ACT REQUIRING THE INCLUSION OF A MINIMUM READING PROFICIENCY LEVEL AS PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Tami Zawistowski

Connecticut bill mandates minimum reading proficiency as high school graduation requirement, raising diploma standards while risking equity gaps without clear implementation metrics.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Education
#highschoolgraduation #reading
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Bill Summary · HB 5124

Legislative bill overview

HB 5124 would amend Connecticut's high school graduation requirements to include a minimum reading proficiency level as a mandatory standard for diploma eligibility. Currently, Connecticut graduation requirements focus on course completion and credit accumulation, but this bill would add a specific literacy benchmark that students must demonstrate before graduating.

Why is this important

Reading proficiency is foundational to academic success and workforce readiness across all fields. This change could identify struggling readers earlier, potentially trigger interventions before graduation, but would also raise the bar for diploma attainment and could affect graduation rates, particularly for students with learning disabilities or English language learners who may need additional support.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition ambiguity: The bill doesn't specify what constitutes "minimum reading proficiency" or which standardized assessment (if any) would measure it, leaving implementation details unclear
  • Equity concerns: Students with dyslexia, English language learners, and those in under-resourced districts may face disproportionate barriers; inadequate remediation funding could deny diplomas rather than improve reading skills
  • Graduation rate impact: Adding new requirements could lower overall graduation rates, potentially affecting school accountability metrics and federal/state funding tied to those rates
  • Alternative pathways: Unclear whether the bill allows alternative demonstrations of proficiency or remediation options for students who don't meet the threshold on initial assessments

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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