Professional Report

READING GUARANTEE, THIRD GRADE

3313.608

For students who enter third grade beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, no school district shall promote a student to the fourth grade if the student scores in a range designated by the state board of education unless one of the following applies: 1) The student has been in United States schools for less than three full school years and has had less than three years in an English as a second language program; 2) The student has been identified as a child with a disability, and the student’s individualized education program or rehabilitation plan exempts the student from retention; 3) The student demonstrates an acceptable level of performance on an alternative standardized reading assessment identified by the department of education; 4)The student was previously retained in any of grades K-3 but still demonstrates a reading deficiency after intensive remediation for two school years; or 5) All of the following apply: a. The student is identified as a child with a disability and with an IEP; b.The student has taken the third grade English language arts achievement assessment; In addition, students with “significant cognitive disabilities” or other disabilities can be exempted from the requirements to take the annual diagnostic assessment, as authorized by ODE. A student promoted under 4) above shall continue to receive intensive reading instruction in fourth grade. This intensive instruction must include an altered instructional day that includes diagnostic information and specific research-based strategies that have been successful in improving reading for low-performing students. Proficiency or deficiency in reading must be assessed annually for students enrolled in grades K-3. The assessment instrument can be either the English language arts diagnostic assessment provided by the department of education or a comparable test approved by the department. The assessment for grades 1 through 3 must be completed by September 30, but the deadline for kindergarten students is November 1. In addition, the assessment may be administered electronically using live video and audio connections so that the test administrator may be in a separate location from the student. c. The student’s IEP or section 504 plan shows that the student has received “intensive remediation” in reading for two school years but still demonstrates a reading deficiency; and d.The student was previously retained in any of grades kindergarten to three.

The spring assessment for all third grade students is the Ohio Achievement English language arts assessment.

A school district’s policy shall require that the students’ teachers “be involved in the assessment and identification of students reading below grade level.”

For those students reading below grade level, the district must: 1) Notify the parent in writing of the following

a. The student has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in reading;