Update April 2020 – There will be no state testing this year due to the Pandemic. Third graders will not be subject to the Third Grade Reading Law. Students who were on track for promotion prior to the pandemic will be promoted to the next grade. If you have questions, contact your child’s classroom teacher or the principal.
Update May 2019 – Here are links to information about changes occurring to the Third Grade Reading Law:
Detroit News article published in May, 2019
As new information becomes available, more will be added to this blog page.
Update March 2019 – Currently legislators and Governor Whitmer are considering changes to this law. As decisions are made this site will be updated with the new information. Stay tuned!
Update February 2019 – Michigan Dept. of Ed’s Information about the Law
Parent Letter 3rd Grade Reading 10-27-17-yoo6y3
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SPECIAL UPDATE from Mrs. Metzger — 3RD GRADE READING LAW – October 27, 2017
In October 2016, The Michigan Legislature passed a critical law that will have tremendous implications upon current kindergarten students. Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, third-graders could be retained if they demonstrate reading proficiency levels that are more than one level behind.
This early literacy bill requires districts and schools to assess the reading skills of all K-3 students at least three times per year in an effort to identify struggling students. Students experiencing deficiencies would be required to have an individual reading plan created in partnership with their teacher, the principal, and their parents. Parents will be provided with a “read at home” plan that would extend learning and strengthen reading skills, in addition to the interventions provided by the teacher and/or school’s literacy team.
Today, an eblast was sent to families of all K-3 students with the attachments below. An informational meeting will be held on Thursday, November 2 at 6:00 p.m. before the PTA Meeting to provide families with more information and answer any questions. Individual Reading Improvement Plans (IRIPs) will be mailed to families on November 3.
We know that this is new information for most families and can be a bit overwhelming. We also know that one piece of data does not represent a student’s true capabilities. However, developing strong literacy skills are critical for student success in school and in life. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with you to support all Bennie students in their literacy development.