As you may be aware, the South Carolina Read to Succeed Act aims to improve literacy and reading proficiency for all children in our state. The law includes some significant changes regarding promotion and retention of third grade students.

The law states, “Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, a student must be retained in the third grade as indicated by scoring at the lowest achievement level on the state’s summative reading assessment.” There are a number of exceptions to this requirement in the law. I will be able to discuss these exceptions with you.

Please be assured that your district’s goal is for all students to be proficient readers in third grade and for no student to be retained for failing to demonstrate reading proficiency. The district is putting supports in place to improve student success. These supports may include additional instruction time, small group and individualized instruction, and targeted interventions. Classroom teachers and school administrators are receiving specialized literacy training and support from school-based reading coaches and interventionists.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the school or your child’s teacher. You can also find information about Read to Succeed and how to support your child in literacy on the district’s ELA/Literacy web page and on the South Carolina Department of Education web page. Links to these web locations are listed at the end of this document.

This information is for parents of South Carolina’s current third-grade students. It is designed to help parents understand what South Carolina’s Read to Succeed legislation says about reading requirements for third-grade students and promotion to fourth grade beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. It also describes what the school will do to help children who are reading below grade level.

Background

Reading and comprehension are the foundations for all academic learning. Walk into any kindergarten, first, second, or third-grade classroom and you will find students learning to read. Students may be talking about the sounds letters make, listening to the teacher read a story, reading aloud together, or talking and writing about what they have read. Reading is the core of the school day for young children because students need strong reading skills to learn in all other school subjects, such as science, social studies, writing, and even math.

The Law

South Carolina law states, “Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, a student must be retained in the third grade if the student fails to demonstrate reading proficiency at the end of the third grade as indicated by scoring at the lowest achievement level on the state summative reading assessment. This school year’s 2020–21 third grade students will be the third group of students affected by this portion of the Read to Succeed legislation.

Good Cause Exemptions

Some students with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and those who have been previously retained can receive a “good cause exemption” and be promoted to the fourth grade even if they are not reading at the required level. Other good cause exemptions exist for students who scored poorly on the state summative assessment, but who have demonstrated grade-level reading proficiency on other tests or through a reading portfolio​.

Expectations for Third Graders

The specific skills that students need in reading are described in the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready (SCCCR) Standards. Designed by stakeholders in South Carolina, the SCCCR Standards outline what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade level​.

By the end of third grade, students are expected to be able to read independently and comprehend a variety of texts. This means they can read and understand words, sentences, and paragraphs without help. Third grade students should become self-directed, critical thinkers and readers.

Why Third Grade?

According to the 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), only thirty-five percent of the nation’s fourth-grade students are reading on grade level. A substantial reading deficiency must be addressed before students can move on to the more difficult schoolwork and texts required in fourth grade. Those who have trouble understanding what they read find it very difficult to keep up. Many students become frustrated when they try to tackle this schoolwork without independent reading skills. For some students, this leads to years of difficulty in school and limited opportunities in college and career.

In addition to contacting your child’s school, the district Read to Succeed Liaison is also available to answer any questions pertaining to this information. Contact information for the district Read to Succeed Liaison is listed below

Susan Rawlings, CCSD District Instructional Specialist, Read to Succeed Office Phone: 843-937-6564

Email: susan_rawlings@charleston.k12.sc.us

Online Parent Information

South Carolina Department of Education Read to Succeed Web Page

 https://ed.sc.gov/instruction/early-learning-and-literacy/read-to-succeed1/

 CCSD ELA/Literacy Web Page

 https://www.ccsdschools.com/divisions/learning_services/instruction/literacy___e_l_a

CCSD Parent Literacy Support Web Page

https://ccsdparentliteracysupport.weebly.com/