Despite Steady Increases Statewide, Fewer than Half of CA Third Graders Proficient at Reading
One of the leading indicators of students’ academic progress and likely school success is their level of reading at the end of third grade. In California, although steady increases in reading proficiency have been seen since 2005 across all ethnic and socioeconomic groups, fewer than half of California third graders score proficient or higher on the state’s English language standardized test.
Despite increases in reading proficiency across all groups, substantial disparities remain. For instance, fewer than one in four Latino third graders read at or above the 50th percentile, the lowest of any racial/ethnic group in CA. These gaps also exist between low-income and higher-income students.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation also recently released a report, Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters, which notes that California ranks 46th in the percentage of 4th-graders who are not proficient in reading.
Children need a variety of support beginning at an early age in order to read proficiently by third grade. They must be ready to learn when they enter school, which means having access to opportunities to help them build basic cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills. Children who do not have access to such opportunities may need extra support to catch up; otherwise, they tend to fall further behind over time.
Do you see these trends in your school or district? Has your school or district found effective measures to help close these proficiency gaps?
Tags: New Data, Statewide Expansion
Posted by kidsdata.org
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