WINONA – Of the 33 third grade students retaking the required state reading test, 13 passed the test and will be promoted to fourth grade.
The Mississippi Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA), more commonly known as “Reading Gate” was adopted by the Mississippi Legislature in 2013, and it mandates that all third graders pass a reading assessment to be promoted to fourth grade.
Third graders have three tries to pass the reading test before being required to repeat the grade. Statewide, more than 25 percent of third graders did not reach the requirements to pass the annual reading assessment on the first try, compared to last year’s 6.8 percent. In Montgomery County, 34.7, or 33 students, percent did not pass the test the first time.
However, according to Dr. Teresa Jackson, Superintendent of Education for the Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District, 12 of those 21 looking to re-take the test later this summer for a third time, qualify for good-cause exemptions, meaning they are already in the special education program, have already been retained to a grade once, or are having intense reading instruction.
Jackson said for those nine students planning to re-take the test a third time will receive additional help from the district in preparation for the test. Jackson said a three-day boot camp will be held beginning June 24.
According to Jackson, this year, the state “raised the bar” on the pass/fail threshold from Level 2 to a Level 3 out of five, which kept many more third graders below the necessary threshold this year than last year.
