North Carolina state law (House Bill 950/S.L. 2012-142 section 7A) now requires that third graders who are not reading at a proficient level on the end-of-grade test be given additional support. If your child is not proficient on the end-of-grade test in reading at the end of third grade:

• Your child will be given the opportunity to retest.

• If your child is not proficient on the retest, he or she will be invited to attend a free summer reading camp to help improve his or her reading skills.

• Following summer reading camp, your child’s reading will be assessed again.

• If your child’s reading is proficient, he or she will be eligible for promotion to fourth grade.

• If your child does not score proficient, he or she will be placed in fourth grade classes the following year with a third-grade retention label. Ninety minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction will be provided daily in these classes. Your child will be eligible to retake the reading test in late October to achieve a mid-year promotion and have the third-grade retention label removed. Your child will remain in the same fourth grade class for the entire school year and continue to receive the uninterrupted reading instruction throughout fourth grade to support ongoing improvement in reading skills.

Check out this video for a "Parent Guide" to the Read to Achieve Program

DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills): One minute tests that measure the big ideas of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, reading comprehension, and vocabulary).

TRC (Text Reading Comprehension): Reading assessment to determine a student’s reading level and comprehension level.

Portfolio: A compilation of student work to show evidence of the student’s reading ability with consistent expectations throughout NC.

Proficient: The student is at or above grade level, demonstrated by the results of the State-approved standardized test of reading comprehension administered to third grade students.

Reading Intervention: Evidence-based strategies frequently used to remediate students that are having difficulties with reading. These strategies can include, but are not limited to, individual instruction, tutoring, or mentoring that target specific reading skills.

Alternate Assessment: A standardized assessment of reading comprehension, approved by the State Board of Education, that is not the same test as the test as the State-approved standardized test of reading comprehension administered to third grade students.

Summer Reading Camp: An additional education program provided by the school district that is outside the instructional calendar. Any student that does not demonstrate proficiency on the end of grade State-approved standardized test will be required to attend summer reading camp. Parents or guardians will make the final decision regarding attendance.

Fourth Grade Transition Class: A classroom that is designed to help produce learning gains for the students that did not meet state standards on the State-approved standardized test, while still receiving instruction on fourth grade standards.