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House Bill 3035 became law last June without much objection or fanfare, but it may be the most significant thing that has happened in education since the beginning of County-Unit School System started under Governor Kump in 1933. The new law is named the "Third Grade Success Act;" however it may be remembered as the "Third Grade Failure Act" if it is applied literally.
Shelley Hanson's Inter-Mountain article (12/12/23) said that legislators on "the Oversight Commission on Education Accountability received an update on the state's new science of reading program" on Sunday. Deputy Superintendent Sonya White reported that the first fall benchmark tests have been given, and children identified as needing improvement in grades K-3 are receiving interventions and should improve before the next round of testing.
These first screening tests may include items involving concepts that the students have not yet been taught. Students will be tested three times during the year, and they will be expected to master grade-level learning standards each year. If students are not able to pass the final third grade benchmark test beginning in 2026, they will not advance to fourth grade.
Funding has been allocated for online teacher training, and the WVDE would like for legislators to fund a pilot program for teacher professional development. To ensure that students have adults working with them on the benchmark standards, HB 3035 will provide additional funding for aides and paraprofessionals in grades 1-3.
If third grade students do not pass their spring assessment, they will be able to go to summer school, but they will need to show that they can meet third grade level standards before they can move on with fourth grade work. Many children may need to be held back if they cannot come up to grade level. They will have a Student Assistance Team [SAT] to create an individual educational plan [IEP] to help each student get back on track.
State funding will pay for new mandates in grades 1-3, but federal funding may be used to help students in grades 4 and 5. It is important that the school continues to focus on reading for older children and families can help with this focus.
If literacy is valued in the home, children are much more likely to be active readers and writers. Christmas books are one great way to make reading more fun for kids. Reading aloud can help children to learn about kindness from Christmas stories and traditions.
Writing is the other important part of literacy assessment. Writing is often neglected because it seems like too much work, but writing to Santa or grandparents can be a way to focus on getting ideas across to a reader. Writing Christmas cards that tell what happened this year can be helpful in developing writing skills as well, and thank-you notes are also important at the holiday season. The gift of literacy is one of the best gifts parents can give their children.