Third Grade Guarantee

Third Grade Guarantee
As part of Senate Bill 316,which Governor Kasich recently signed into law, legislation was created to ensure all Ohio students are reading at a designated level by the end of the third grade. This is called the Third Grade Reading Guarantee. Starting with students entering the third grade in the 2013-2014 school year, we will not be able to promote students to the fourth grade who score below a designated level on the Ohio Reading Achievement Assessment. There will be some exceptions for students who are English Language Learners and for some students with disabilities. In addition, students who are demonstrating reading skills below grade level expectations must be assigned to teachers with specific qualifications to deliver reading instruction. In an effort to provide support to districts, educators and families, ODE has resources and tools for you to review: http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&TopicRelationID=5&Content=131285.

Norton City Schools has already been implementing a K-4 diagnostic and reading program to provide a quality literacy education for our students. According to the Third Grade Guarantee, students in K-3 must be administered a diagnostic test in reading before September 30th each school year. SB 316 requires that parents receive a notice if their child has a deficit in reading. This notice must also caution that if their child does not meet the state determined level on the Grade 3 Ohio Achievement Assessment he/she will be retained. Your child will also be provided a plan that will describe the intervention and monitoring to remedy his/her specific reading deficiencies.

Meeting these new requirements will be a challenge for all of us but, I am confident that, with the support of our excellent Norton families, and the dedication of our amazing Norton teaching staff, our students will excel!

Sincerely,
Sharon Herchik, Director of Curriculum & Instruction