Third Grade Reading Guarantee
The Ohio Legislature passed legislation to strengthen the Third Grade Reading Guarantee to give greater emphasis to reading instruction and intervention in the early grades. Each year, districts and schools must administer a reading diagnostic by September 30th for grades 1 to 3 and during the first 20 days of instruction for kindergarten students. Every school district must administer a reading diagnostic from the state-approved list. Northwest Local currently uses NWEA MAP Growth Assessments and MAP Reading Fluency Assessments to determine a students reading status.
School districts must:- Diagnose reading deficiencies in students at grades kindergarten through three,
- Create individualized reading improvement and monitoring plans (RIMPs) for students not on grade-level,
- Provide intense reading interventions to students on a RIMP.
On-Track and Not On-Track Students
ODE approved diagnostic assessments will be used to identify students as on-track or not on-track.
- On-Track means a student is reading at grade level based on previous end-of-year standards' expectations by September 30th.
- Not on-track means any student who is not reading at grade level based on previous end-of-year standards' expectations by September 30th.
A change in a Student's Not On-Track Status
If a student is not on-track based on the reading diagnostic, the student officially will not be on-track and on a RIMP until the student scores:
- On-Track on the following school year's fall reading diagnostic (K-3)
- Proficient (700) or higher on Ohio's State Test for English language arts.
Instruction and Intervention:
Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, districts and schools must use evidence-based reading intervention programs from the ODEW's approved list of high-quality instructional materials under section 3313.6082(C) of the Revised Code. All materials on the approved list are aligned with the science of reading and strategies for effective literacy instruction.
Retention in the Third Grade
Districts and schools must retain students who score below the promotion score on Ohio's State Test for grade 3 English language arts unless those students are exempt from retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
- A student who is an English learner enrolled in U.S. schools for fewer than three full school years and with fewer than three years of instruction in English as a second language.
- A student whose IEP specifically exempts the student from retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
- A student who demonstrates competency on an alternative assessment for reading approved by the Department.
- A student whose IEP show the student received intensive remediation in reading for two years and the student previously was retained in any of grades kindergarten through 3.
- A student who received intensive remediation in reading for two years and previously retained any of grades kindergarten through 3.*
- A student whose parents or guardian, in consultation with the students reading teacher and principal has requested that the student be promoted for grade 4 regardless of the student's score on Ohio's State Test for grade 3 English language arts.*
* Students promoted under these exemptions have specific reading instruction requirements.
While a student that qualifies for an exemption to retention can be promoted to grade 4, the development and implementation of a RIMP in grade 4 may be required.
Parents with additional questions regarding the Third Grade Reading should reach out to their child's building principal or the Director of Instruction at Central Office.