DeKalb Times

State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), shared information about statewide literacy legislation in a Facebook post March 24.

"When Senate Bill 2243 came before the Senate Education Committee, I was shocked to find out that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) did not have a state-wide literacy plan put in place already!" Syverson wrote. "Today, in a bipartisan effort, we were able to change that and continue to strengthen our education system here in Illinois."

State Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Hillside), proposed Senate Bill 22243, which directs the ISBE to "develop and adopt a comprehensive literacy plan for the state on or before Jan. 31, 2024," according to a press release.  

"Currently, 50% of third-grade students in Illinois do not meet or partially meet learning standards for English language arts," Lightford said. "Research from the Annie E. Casey Institute found that students who are not proficient readers in third grade are four times more likely not to finish high school. If those students are from low-income families, they are more than six times more likely not to finish high school."

A majority of students also recently failed to meet their standard grade level requirements which could negatively impact their future, Lightford said.

The bill passed the Senate on March 24 and will move to the House of Representatives.

A lifelong Illinois resident, Syverson was first elected to the Senate in 1993, according to his Senate biography.

In the Senate, he is the spokesperson for the Insurance Committee, the Health and Human Services Committee, and the Appropriations (Health and Human Services) Committee. He is also a member of the Public Health, Behavioral, and Mental Health, Licensed Activities, and Local Government committees. He also co-chairs the bipartisan Hospital Transformation Committee and the Medicaid Reform Committee.