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District 5 outlines Read to Succeed changes, third‑grade retention process and related policy revisions
Summary
Administrators explained the impact of Act 114 (Read to Succeed) on third‑grade retention, removal of the reading portfolio good‑cause exemption, parent conferencing and a new summer reading camp process; trustees asked about interventions, use of MAP assessments, appeals and timing for implementation.
Superintendent David Ross and Chief of Academics Tina McCaskill told trustees on Dec. 9 that Act 114 (the Read to Succeed amendment) requires changes to district policies affecting ELA instruction, summer school, promotion/retention and state assessment procedures.
The change administrators emphasized most was the state law’s removal of the reading portfolio as a good‑cause exemption for third‑grade retention. Dr. Ross said that, had the law been in effect last year, the district estimates roughly 266 additional third graders would have been retained. The district outlined steps it is taking: targeted interventions, parent notification and conferences (required by Jan. of a student’s third‑grade year if indicators show risk), summer reading camp options and formalized review processes for any good‑cause exemptions that remain in law (for example, certain IEP/504 circumstances or students still learning English).
How students are assessed: The district will rely on MAP interim assessments as part of the identification process (the new does‑not‑meet cut score was cited as 186). McCaskill explained that schools will hold formal parent conferences and create individualized plans for supplemental instruction. At the end of summer reading camp trustees were told students will be reassessed (MAP was named as the interim assessment used for those decisions).
Trustee questions and clarifications: Trustees asked how the district will communicate with parents and whether prior MAP scores may be used in decision making; McCaskill confirmed fall, winter or spring MAP scores can be considered under the law. Trustees also pressed for clarity on appeal options and noted a draft policy contained a residual reference to a “lapse” as a good‑cause exemption that should be removed; staff acknowledged the issue. Trustees urged investment in early intervention (kindergarten–2nd grade) to reduce later retention and noted schools with high student turnover may face implementation challenges.
Why it matters: Changes to Read to Succeed affect promotion decisions for young students and require expanded communications, documentation and potentially increased summer/catch‑up programming. Administrators told the board they will return with refined policy language for formal action.
Provenance: The changes and discussion appear across administrative remarks and the grouped policy discussion during the meeting.
