More students, however, are at risk of retention this year. A total of 6,470, or 11.6%, of Alabama third graders scored below grade level on recent spring reading tests, new state data shows.

Teachers can have students create comics based on poems to better understand their themes and spark meaningful conversation.

In 2021, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law that required third-grade students who did not earn a proficient score on the English Language Arts portion of the TCAP tests to be held back.

The 2019 Alabama Literacy Act requires students reading on grade level by the end of third grade. Students who fall short on the test and don’t meet an alternative requirement can be held back.

According to the department, a smaller percentage of students who took the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment of Progress (ACAP) fell below the score considered “sufficient” for grade-level reading. The ...

In 2024, 27% of MSCS third graders scored proficiently on the ELA portion of the TCAP tests. From 2023 to 2024, the district had improved its third-grade reading scores by almost 4%.

State officials want to cap elementary classes at 20 students. Here's a look at the maximum, minimum and average third grade class sizes for the five largest Kalamazoo-area districts.