This year third graders are heading into the classroom with a new law in effect: Read by Grade Three (RBG3).

In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed the law requiring schools to identify learners who are struggling with reading and writing and to provide additional help. The law states that, starting this school year, third graders may be required to repeat third grade if they are more than one grade level behind.

Experts say third grade is a crucial time for young readers as it’s the dividing line between learning to read and reading to learn.

According to the 2019 Kids Count in Michigan Data Book approximately 56 percent of Michigan third graders tested below proficiency levels in reading, based on M-STEP scores.

However, when it comes to the new law Vanessa Keesler, deputy superintendent shared that M-STEP performance levels such as proficient and not proficient “do not necessarily tell us if the student is a grade level behind in terms of their reading.” To comply with the RBG3 law, a unique and separate cut score for the third grade English Language Arts assessment was established specifically to measure reading as outlined in the law.

There are “good cause exemptions” to the policy available for some students. Schools can decide to pass a student if they are an English language learner, if they have special needs or if a parent appeals the decision.

Michigan State University’s Education Policy Innovative Collaborative (EPIC) has provided the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) with research on potential retention rates linked to the new policy.

Data at a glance:

• Between 2 and 5 percent of third graders may be retained as a result of Read by Grade 3.

• Between 7 and 11 percent of African American students may be retained.

• Up to 10 percent of special education students may be retained.

• Between 12 and 20 percent of students in partnership schools may be retained. (Partnership schools are those identified by the state as low performing, and each has an agreement with the state that includes specific growth and achievement goals intended to improve academic achievement levels.)

With the new policy, if a child is held back to repeat the third grade, MDE shares that the school will provide a reading program that is designed to improve the child’s specific reading concern. The child may also be assigned to a highly effective teacher of reading, a reading specialist, an evidence-based reading program, daily small group instruction, ongoing assessments or other specialized reading help.

The law has stirred some controversy.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has said she wants to overturn the Read by Grade Three law, calling it “destructive.”

According to Chalkbeat, the new state superintendent Dr. Michael Rice shared similar sentiments with the State Board of Education during his interview.

“We have to improve reading in Michigan,” Rice told the board. “But retention is not good for children. Our answer has to be better than ‘This is a bad law.’ We need to up our game.”

Starting this fall, through the support of the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, the Education Trust-Midwest and Detroit Parent Network will be sharing toolkits and workshops to serve as resources to parents in navigating the new law.

Want more?

Join CMF’s P-20 Education Affinity Group as the conversation around Read by Grade Three continues at CMF’s Annual Conference in the breakout session: Opportunities to Boost Student Literacy on Tuesday, October 8.