Maryland is contemplating a policy that would require third-grade students to read at grade level before advancing to fourth grade. This initiative comes as educators increasingly recognize the critical importance of third-grade reading proficiency.
Dr. Carey Wright, Maryland’s new State Superintendent of Schools, is spearheading this effort. She emphasizes the importance of early identification of struggling readers. “I think you can identify little ones that are struggling very young,” Wright told Project Baltimore.
The proposed policy includes:
- Screening K-3 students three times yearly to monitor literacy progress
- Immediate notification and support for struggling readers
- Mandatory grade-level reading proficiency for third graders to advance
Maryland would join at least 25 other states and D.C. in implementing such policies if approved. The public comment period ends July 19.
Wright brings experience from Mississippi, where a similar policy correlates with improved reading scores. According to NAEP scores, Mississippi surpassed both Maryland and the national average in fourth-grade reading by 2022.
Emily Mitchell from Sylvan Learning underscores the long-term impact: “If they’re not [at grade level], it has honestly lifelong effects.” A 2011 Annie E. Casey Foundation report found that students not reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma.
Critics argue these policies may introduce social and emotional challenges and disproportionately affect students of color and those from low-income families. However, advocates believe it ensures more students are prepared for future academic success.
Dr. Wright emphasizes the need for skilled teachers: “We need to make sure that all of those teachers have the skill sets that they need to diagnose those kinds of issues and the skill sets that they need to intervene in a very early age.”
As Maryland aims to improve its national ranking in education, this policy represents a significant step towards achieving that goal.