The third grade is where students learn their multiplication tables, are introduced to science and have learned to read.
That is why the Mississippi Department of Education and Mississippi Legislature implemented the third-grade reading assessment – often known as the Third Grade Reading Gate – in 2013.
The Mississippi Legislature called the law the Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) and it’s goal is to identify students who are not a the proper reading level, get them special reading help and test them again and again.
And while the program has helped many students, school district – especially local school district – have struggled to get their children to pass it on the first time around.
Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School scored the best with 59.2 percent of their third-graders reading on a third-grade level and promoted to the fourth grade. Coahoma County School District saw 57.5-percent of their students read at-grade, Lyon Elementary once again leading all local school at 61-percent passing. Clarksdale Municipal School District saw 44.8-percent of their student pass the assessment.
In accordance with the LBPA, third graders who do not pass the initial administration of the reading test are given up to two attempts to retest.
The Mississippi Department of Education is announcing that 75.7% of 31,787 third graders passed the initial administration of the third-grade reading assessment given this spring for the 2023-24 school year.
The percentage is nearly the same as the initial pass rate in 2022-23 of 76.3% when 31,623 third graders took the assessment, and higher than the pre-pandemic initial pass rate of 74.5%.
“When it comes to literacy, the collective efforts of teachers, administrators, literacy coaches and families are essential to students’ success,” said Dr. Ray Morgigno, interim state superintendent of education. “The MDE is committed to supporting instruction and resources aligned to the Science of Reading that will foster more achievement.”
After the final retest in 2022-23, 84.9% of Mississippi third graders passed the test, and 85% passed the test in 2021-22.
The LBPA became law in 2013 to improve reading skills of kindergarten through third-grade students in public schools so every student completing the third grade is able to read at or above grade level.
The LBPA requires Mississippi third graders to pass a reading assessment to qualify for promotion to fourth grade. An amendment to the law in 2016 raised reading-level expectations starting in the 2018-19 school year, requiring third graders to score at level three or higher on the reading portion of the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) English Language Arts (ELA) assessment.
Students who did not pass the reading assessment on their first attempt last month were retested May 6-10. The second retest window is June 17 – 28. Some students may qualify for good cause exemptions to be promoted to fourth grade.
To see the district- and school-level initial pass rate report for 2023-24, go to mdek12.org/OPR/Reporting/Assessment/2023-24.
Final district-level pass rates will be published this fall in the Literacy-Based Promotion Act Annual Report of Performance and Student Retention for the 2023-24 school year.
LOCAL SCORES
District Passed Detained
Clarksdale Chart. 59.2% 40.8%
Clarksdale MSD 44.8% 55.2%
Booker T. Wash. 38.1% 61.9%
George H. Oliver 41.1% 58.9%
Kirkpatrick Elem. 56.0% 44.0%
Coahoma County 57.5% 42.5%
Friars Point 52.2% 47.8%
Jonestown Elem. 56.3% 43.8%
Lyon Elem. 61.0% 39.0%
AREA SCORES
District Passed Detained
Cleveland Dist. 64.2% 35.8%
Bell Academy 81.8% 18.2%
D.M. Smith 44.9% 55.1%
Hayes Cooper 85.7% 14.3%
Parks Elem. 63.2% 36.8%
Pearman Elem. 60.0% 40.0%
North Bolivar 68.6% 31.4%
Brooks Elem. 69.2% 30.8%
I.T. Montgomery 68.0% 32.0%
Quitman Co. 63.8% 36.3%
Quitman Elem. 63.8% 36.3%.
Tunica Co. Dist. 73.3% 26.7%
Dundee 94.1% 5.9%
Robinsonville 79.5% 20.5%
Tunica Elem. 61.8% 38.2%
W. Tallahatchie 48.0% 52.0%
R.H. Bearden 48.0% 52.0%
State Avg. 2024 75.7% 24.3%
State Avg. 2023 76.3% 23.7%
