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Fifteen Percent of Third Graders Face Retention Based on Preliminary Test Results

Third grade reading scores came out on Friday, and about 85 percent of the test-takers will be promoted to fourth grade based on the preliminary results released by the State Department of Education.

Under the Oklahoma Reading Sufficiency Act, students must attain at least a “Limited Knowledge” score on the third grade reading test to be automatically promoted to the fourth grade.

Of the more than 50,000 students that took the test, 14.6 percent—or about 7,300—scored “Unsatisfactory,” subjecting them to possible retention. Students can be promoted to the fourth grade despite their “Unsatisfactory” score if a reading team, consisting of parents and teachers, deem the student ready based on other observations. Students can also meet one of seven exemptions.

The preliminary results show that 67 percent of the students scored “Proficient,” 2.5 percent were “Advanced,” and 15.9 percent scored “Limited Knowledge.”

Overall the numbers are similar to last year’s, but Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said there is some improvement.

“While these numbers are preliminary and will change slightly, it appears the percentage of ‘Unsatisfactory’ has decreased. And more students evidently scored ‘Limited Knowledge,’ showing improvement between ‘Unsatisfactory’ and ‘Limited Knowledge,” she said in a prepared statement released by the State Department of Education.

Last year 16.2 percent of test-takers—about 7,800 third graders—scored “Unsatisfactory.”

By law, the reading team that can promote low-scorers to the fourth grade will only exist through this current school year. However, Senate Bill630, which is pending in the legislature, would extend the committee another three years.

Superintendent Hofmeister says these committees are essential to students, and has urged lawmakers to keep them in the process.

SB630 would also include students that score “Limited Knowledge” to the group that could possibly be retained, nearly doubling that number of students.

Over the next few weeks, school districts are required to contact parents and legal custodians of students who scored “Unsatisfactory” and determine the most effective course of action for these children.

Emily Wendler was KOSU's education reporter from 2015 to 2019.
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