READING
GUARANTEE, THIRD
GRADE
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;
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.
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.
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;
3313.608