At some point over the past few pandemic years, many states pressed pause on one particular high-stakes, controversial piece of education policy: 3rd grade retention. But now, it’s back. The laws ...

Heather Miller, a first grade teacher in Austin, Texas, works with a small group of students in her classroom on reading skills. Credit: Jackie Mader/ The Hechinger Report The Hechinger Report covers ...

The Hechinger Report covers one topic: education. Sign up for our newsletters to have stories delivered to your inbox. Consider becoming a member to support our nonprofit journalism. As the ...

Diamond, a third grader in Jefferson Parish, does a timed reading exercise with her summer school teacher, Emily Gurtner. Emily Gurtner sits at a small table in the corner of her third-grade classroom ...

Confronted with evidence that huge shares of elementary pupils read significantly below grade level after years of pandemic-impacted schooling, Portland-area school districts are mounting varied ...

The Maryland State Board of Education is considering a policy that would make third graders repeat the year if they can’t read at grade level. Students in second through 12th grades already can be ...

While the Michigan Department of Education leaders praised improvements made by students in some grades in reading and math on the state test, the state's third graders continued to slide in reading ...

A third grade reading and retention law took effect for Tennessee public school children in 2023. Students must meet a state reading benchmark or take extra steps to avoid being held back. Three full ...

The testing window for the IREAD-3 assessment opens in just a few days. Legislation passed last year requires 3rd grade students to be retained if they do not pass the Indiana reading assessment.

South Carolina consistently ranks among states with the worst reading scores on the nation’s report card, the National Assessment of Educational Progress. But a recent test indicates the state may be ...

Indiana third graders’ reading proficiency improved at a record-breaking rate in 2025, putting students’ scores on par with pre-pandemic levels. Statewide, 87.3% of third graders scored proficient on ...

Third grade students at Fanny Coppin Elementary gathered Wednesday to read the first of 20 books they’ll read in the next 20 weeks. The School District of Philadelphia will give a prize to every third ...