As more states consider passing early literacy laws, one controversial aspect of these policies is back in the spotlight—grade retention. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia either allow ...

Should kids be held back in third grade if they can’t read? As of this year, 18 states say yes and impose some form of retention policy linked to a child’s reading scores, according to the advocacy ...

Stats suggest high stakes for one year in particular. A literacy researcher, practitioner, and former school principal weighs ...

Last September, Savannah-Chatham County public schools tried out an intensive new tutoring program to help struggling readers catch up before state reading tests at the end of 3rd grade. By winter, ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A pandemic-related exception to the requirement that students repeat the third grade if they’re not reading proficiently ends with this academic year, and state lawmakers are ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio students who were held back from fourth grade due to a state law requiring struggling readers to repeat third grade performed better on English language arts in fourth through ...

Diamond, a third grader in Jefferson Parish, does a timed reading exercise with her summer school teacher, Emily Gurtner. Emily Gurtner sits at a small table in the corner of her third-grade classroom ...

The May 18 release of reading scores for Tennessee third graders set off a fast-moving timeline to determine if tens of thousands of public school students will be held back or not. Tennessee's third ...

A third grade reading and retention law took effect for Tennessee public school children in 2023. Students must meet a state reading benchmark or take extra steps to avoid being held back. Three full ...

As Tennessee third graders sit for annual tests this week, lawmakers approved changes to the state’s retention law that could require as many as two-thirds of Tennessee third graders to attend ...

It’s been a year since new initiatives got underway to help ensure Utah third graders are reading on grade level — and state officials are pointing to small gains. Lawmakers allocated $18.5 million, a ...

While the Michigan Department of Education leaders praised improvements made by students in some grades in reading and math on the state test, the state's third graders continued to slide in reading ...