Ready to Read, Ready to Succeed

Publication May 20184 pages

Repeating a Grade: How Well Does It Work?
Research Snapshot

This research snapshot on retention policies examines what we know about retaining young students, from research on outcomes to how much states spend on additional years of schooling. The brief lists intervention policies in the nine SREB states that require third graders to show reading proficiency to be promoted to fourth grade.

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Resources
Teacher Training Resources

Teacher Training Resources
Resources for evidence-based reading instruction and intervention for struggling readers and students with dyslexia

All students ─ but especially struggling readers and students with dyslexia ─ benefit from structured literacy instruction that explicitly teaches language skills and the essential components of reading. It is also important that all teachers be able to recognize characteristics of dyslexia and know strategies that will help their students.

Blog post Samantha Durrance, Policy Analyst, SREB

Diverse needs create a challenge for kindergarten teachers
How can states help their kindergarten teachers meet students where they are and boost learning for all?

Kindergarten is an important transition to the early grades. In fact, more and more teachers say kindergarten is the new first grade. Recent research by Bassok, Latham and Rorem backs this up. In 2016, these researchers examined differences in kindergarten expectations and teaching practices between 1998 and 2010.

Blog post Samantha Durrance, Policy Analyst, SREB

Are teachers prepared to teach reading?
Research shows a gap between what we know about reading and how teachers are prepared to teach it

Reading is the foundation for learning.

The research is clear: Students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are much more likely to face poor academic outcomes. For this reason alone, we know it is incredibly important that children learn to read well early in elementary school and continue to build on those reading skills throughout the rest of school.

Blog post Samantha Durrance, Policy Analyst, SREB

Reading in the Early Grades
How can we ensure reading proficiency by the end of third grade?

It’s no secret that reading skills are essential for success, both as a student and later in life. And educators know that reading proficiently by the end of third grade is crucial to students’ continued development. Up until third grade students learn to read; after that, they read to learn. It is paramount that students read proficiently by the end of third grade so they are prepared for later learning.