Doing the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results
FLORIDA’S THIRD GRADE READING LAW IS JUST LIKE THE OTHERS
Florida has a third-grade retention law, just like Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, fifteen other states and the District of Columbia. Learning to read by third grade is so important, according to The National Council of State Legislators, that some states find it necessary to retain children who can’t read.
Learning to read by third grade is important because
Research has demonstrated that students not reading proficiently at the end of third grade are four times more likely to not finish high school. Further, the levels of reading proficiency for third graders are linked to specific long-term outcomes: 23 percent of below-basic readers fail to finish high school, compared to 9 percent of basic-scoring readers and 4 percent of proficient readers.
…not to mention the fact that…
Researchers have pointed out that unintended consequences of retention can include increased costs for school districts (national average of $10,700 per retained student).
So it’s an economic issue, too. [I would agree with that, although the problem is the economic status of the children.] And it’s almost as an afterthought that CONTINUE READING: Doing the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results | Live Long and Prosper
