STATE TESTING: County third-graders prep for IREAD

March 2, 2012

COLUMBIA CITY — The Indiana State Department of Education now requires third graders to take the Indiana Reading Evaluation And Determination (I-READ3) test. This is the first year Indiana third graders have been faced with I-READ3, and they are specifically required to pass it before proceeding to fourth grade reading instruction.

If a student fails I-READ3, a window of remediation opens, and students are given the opportunity to take it again over the summer. If a third grader fails the test a second time, they cannot continue to fourth grade reading.

Dr. Patricia O’Connor, superintendent of Whitley County Consolidated Schools (WCCS), said reading problems are often identified long before students enter the third grade. She also said schools generally offer additional remediation for every grade level to ensure they are continually working with the students to identify reading problems and find solutions.

“We have a dedicated block of time that we focus on literacy skills,” said O’Connor.
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