As states have struggled for decades to improve 3rd grade literacy on a large scale, many have enacted policies to hold struggling readers back a year. Education Week recently highlighted Christina Weiland and Brian Jacob's evaluation of Michigan’s “Read by Third Grade” Law. The researchers find that the biggest difference-maker in reading proficiency is not in repeating the grade, but extra reading support "flagged" students receive.
“If there weren’t this potential for mandated retention,” Jacob asked, “would states and districts have the political will to provide the supports in the first place?"
Jacob suggested the state's Read by Grade 3 law—which requires periodic assessments and support for struggling readers prior to retention—could have influenced the effectiveness of those services.
States should also be collecting longitudinal data, Jacob said, to measure the effect of support services and move the needle on student learning.
“If early literacy is really a priority, and states want to focus on this, and they think the support services are a key component of this, they should be collecting data and looking at the data," he said.
Read the full story in Education Week.
