Third Grade Reading Sufficiency Act Details
Begins This Year
The Reading Sufficiency Act (RSA) supports Oklahoma children in Kindergarten through third grade. The intent of the new third-grade progressions statute is to ensure that students have the necessary reading skills in order to be successful in grade four and beyond, where the rigors of reading in the content area sharply increase.RSA begins in Kindergarten to address reading deficiencies as early and quickly as possible so that each student with reading deficiencies has enough time and the correct intervention to prevent reading failure.
It is structured for students, teachers, administrators, and parents to ensure that all are aware and working on any reading issue that would cause the child to not experience success. Teachers must have knowledge and be able to work effectively to give each student the correct intervention and time necessary to read on grade level. Educators assess all K-3 students then target their instruction and intervention according to the needs of each child. Scientifically Based Reading Research espouses that with the correct intervention and enough time, 95% of students will read on grade level.
Beginning with the third grade class of 2013-2014, in order to be promoted to the fourth grade, students must score above the Unsatisfactory Level on the reading portion of the Oklahoma Core Curriculum Test (OCCT) administered each spring, or meet other special criteria for exemption.There are six areas of exemption that schools may use to promote a student for good cause:
- Limited English students who have had less than two (2) years of reading instruction
- Students with IEP’s that are severely disabled and for who state tests are deemed inappropriate
- Students who show mastery on an alternative assessment as approved by the Oklahoma State Board of Education
- Students who demonstrate mastery through a student portfolio that he/she is reading on grade level
- IEP students who have been previously retained and have received intensive remediation for at least two (2) years
- Students who have received intensive remediation for two (2) of more years and have been previously retained
As we move forward to meet the challenges of the Reading Sufficiency Act at Sayre Public Schools, please be assured that we have been very proactive in addressing the requirements of this new mandate.From early intervention, to after school reading programs, to increasing reading instruction time in our classrooms, we stand ready to meet the unique needs of each student.As parents and grandparents, you too play in invaluable role in this process.Take time to read with your child every night and the benefits will truly last a lifetime.