What's Next For Tertiary Graders Who Didn't Laissez passer Indiana'south Reading Exam

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May 21, 2012 | 8:45 AM
By

Kyle Stokes / StateImpact Indiana

Ethan Brown, a third grader in Franklin Community Schools, did not pass the IREAD-three exam. His mom, Jamie Abbett (right), says it isn't fair for her child to have to worry about one test. State officials say struggling readers demand an intervention.

Ethan Chocolate-brown needed a score of 446 to pass Indiana's new tertiary grade reading examination. Merely last month, he plant out he'd scored a 443.

"I started crying and telling myself I was stupid because I didn't laissez passer that test," Ethan, 9, remembers.

84 per centum of Indiana third graders passed the IREAD-3 exam last March. More than 11,700 Indiana third graders who did not, however, must retake the test in June or July.

Ethan, a 3rd grader at Webb Elementary School in Franklin, has problem focusing sometimes and takes medicine for ADHD.

"Information technology's not fair to a ix-yr-erstwhile to have to feel that style about not passing — or even just to have to worry about failing."
—Jamie Abbett, Franklin parent

Merely because he's not an English language learner or a special education educatee, Ethan must pass his retake this summer. If he doesn't, state policy requires he accept all statewide tests equally a third grader next year.

In other words, in all likelihood, he won't advance to fourth grade if he doesn't pass the IREAD-three this summer.

"I want to move on. I don't want to exist stuck in third grade. I don't want to be held back. I want to go on to the adjacent grade," Ethan says.

But what happens to Ethan side by side year is however, to a degree, an open question. The country points to areas of the new policy that give local districts options in deciding what to do with students like Ethan, should he not pass again.

Teachers and district officials, though, say they still feel as though the new policy limits their ability to decide what's all-time for the students who fail the IREAD-3.

  • Bennett: 'We Have To Stop Lying To Children' StateImpact Indiana'due south Kyle Stokes speaks with a Franklin third grader who didn't pass the IREAD-3, his mom, and the land officials who say it'southward their duty to step in when students are struggling.Download

Hands Tied Or Hands Freed?

Indiana's new policy is rooted in the idea that schools must identify the students who demand the most help with their reading skills. In one case identified, teachers can then stride in to provide specialized or ane-on-one reading teaching or, "as a last resort," hold the student back.

Land superintendent Tony Bennett says third graders who cannot read need help, or they're likely to lag behind their peers for the residue of their academic careers.

"We have to finish lying to children," Bennett told reporters at a press conference in his statehouse office on May 15. "This involves having hard conversations with children and their parents."

The policy does allow schools to handle retention in different means. Students who do not pass the IREAD-3 could theoretically be educated in a blended Grade iii-4 classroom, or attend subjects other than reading in a 4th class classroom.

But even state officials say these scenarios are unlikely. The best way for a student to prepare for a third grade statewide test, many educators say, is to spend a year in a 3rd grade classroom.

Franklin Customs Schools curriculum Deb Chocolate-brown-Nally says the state'south tough line on reading has express the authority of educators in her commune to make decisions. She tells StateImpacther district has had processes in place to handle a struggling pupil since earlier the state implemented the new policy:

I believe the philosophy behind all this is very valid and very expert. We don't desire to send kids on who aren't gear up, but my experiences at Franklin Community Schools is that we haven't done that. We've tried to provide intervention programs at the get-go. We've had the hard conversations. We have retained kids. But I like to believe the professionals are making the decision along with the parents — who know the child better than anybody — they're making that decision together, rather than a i-solar day, one-hour examination.

Kyle Stokes / StateImpact Indiana

Ethan Brownish, 9, plays a video game in his Franklin home. His teachers are kickoff a remediation program to ready him to retake the IREAD-3 in belatedly June.

Retention Every bit Intervention

Opponents of the state's reading policy say retentiveness is not the best intervention for a struggling educatee.

Bloomington teacher Lee Heffernan, a literacy coach at a loftier-poverty elementary school, says that intervention tin really suspension the spirits of a struggling student. Equally she told StateImpact earlier this month:

A large part of a teachers task is reinforcing that reading and writing is role of their identity; to reassure them, 'You are a reader, you lot are a writer, you can do this, you know the strategies to tackle this puzzle that we're giving you'…

It is a big identity consequence. If you're not going on to fourth course with your peers, that'southward very disorienting and troubling for a kid. It'south really high pressure to stay with your peer group and be function of the community, it's kinda harmful to a kid's identity to say, 'Well, you weren't really a reader or a author,' you aren't gonna be a fourth grader.

"If our children can principal literacy, and our children can read, we can get them to where they need to be in science, social studies, and other areas of their life."
—Tony Bennett, state superintendent

Derek Redelman, the vice president for education policy at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, says he agrees with the thought that just repeating the third grade is not an effective mode to assist a struggling reader.

But Redelman says retention can work in the right context. As he toldStateImpact last week, the IREAD-three is part of a much more cohesive state policy that makes reading a priority in the early grades:

I call back what DOE is putting together is a whole packet. They have been promoting particular curriculum approaches that take prove backing up their success. They have urged this xc-minute reading block as one of the issues, but not the merely one. They take created several diagnostic testing opptys so that teachers and schools can monitor the progress that their students are making. I think it's a whole set of approaches.

And I do call back the retention effect really is an absolute concluding restort. I don't think anywhere in DOE'south plan have they said, 'Hey, nosotros're going to test at the finish of the third class then by golly we're gonna hold you back.' They're doing a whole agglomeration of stuff leading upwardly to that and I remember anyone who portrays this purely equally a retention programme either is not informed or is trying to distract from what's really going on.

Franklin Schools curriculum director Deb Dark-brown-Nally says the state has offered guidance to districts. But she says third form is probably besides tardily to retain a student.

What's Next For Ethan

Ethan's mom, Jamie Abbett, says she knows extra reading help this summertime volition be good for her son. Simply she feels similar the state'southward policy has left her without much say over Ethan's instruction.

"It breaks my middle that my kid call back's he'due south stupid considering of one examination," Abbett says, calculation, "Information technology'south not off-white to a nine-year-old to have to feel that way near not passing — or even but to have to worry well-nigh failing."

Virtually teachers say Ethan came then close on the IREAD-iii last time that he'll surely exist able to laissez passer his retake. Ethan hopes they're correct.

"I hope that I will laissez passer this test, because I really want to proceed to the adjacent class and relish my summertime," Ethan says.

He'll enjoy it as much as he can — he was going to spend a summer with his grandma in Florida. At present, he'll have to wait until he retakes the test.

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