LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A literacy intervention program meant to help first-grade students in Kentucky learn how to read came under fire in Frankfort on Wednesday.
State lawmakers heard from an Oldham County family about what they say are the failings of the Reading Recovery program.
"If anything, it's hurt more than it's helped, and it’s very frustrating as a mom," Brandi Dunk said.
Schools across Kentucky have access to Reading Recovery, a national program offered through the state's Collaborative Center for Literacy Development developed for students in first grade who struggle with reading. School districts that provide Reading Recovery interventions give first-grade students one-on-one lessons in daily, half-hour sessions for up to 20 weeks.
Brandi's daughter Kiera was one of her three kids that went through it. She says none of them benefitted from the program.
"We're creating a generation of poor readers and that equates to poor jobs later in life, poverty. Literacy is huge and we're falling behind," she said.
But George Hruby and Lindy Harmon defended Reading Recovery before lawmakers.
"Reading Recovery doesn't work for every child, and we've always admitted that," Harmon said.
The program's CCLD website boasts that 75% of students identified for reading interventions reach grade-level proficiency after completing the program.
WDRB investigated the claims this past summer. The Kentucky Department of Education said it depends on what data you look at.
JCPS added three elementary schools since last year that now offer Reading Recovery for a total of 34 elementary schools of its total 91.
"Reading Recovery is one of many tools we have in our toolbox. It's important to remember that Reading Recovery is a short-term intervention and is just a small piece of a student's literacy program," Carolyn Callahan, a JCPS spokesperson, said Wednesday.
Representative Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, said it's a waste of effort and money.
"If we're taking all this time to use a methodology to teach reading that is not the most effective methodology, then then we're wasting our children's time," she said.
The next step isn't clear, but The Dunks hope people keep listening.
"It's not a teacher problem and it goes higher than that," Brandi Dunk said.
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