COLUMBUS, Ohio — Just over a decade ago, state lawmakers made an ambitious pledge to Ohioans that every child would read proficiently by the end of third grade. Under legislation known as the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, elementary schools have been required to screen children in grades K–3 for reading deficiencies and to create improvement plans for those needing help. The Guarantee also required schools to retain third graders who fell short of state reading targets, and to provide them with intensive intervention.
This retention policy put helpful pressure on schools to focus on reading, while holding them more accountable for students’ literacy. Without it, schools could simply push third graders along even if they were struggling mightily to read. Such “social promotion” makes life easier for schools but can also do long-term harm to students. As an influential study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found, children with reading difficulties in early grades are four times more likely to drop out later.
While in place, Ohio’s retention policy worked as intended. Just prior to the pandemic, the state greatly reduced the number of third graders scoring “limited” — the lowest achievement level — on state reading tests, from 27% to 14% between 2015 and 2019. Meanwhile, a rigorous study of Ohio’s requirement found that retained students made large academic gains, a finding that mirrors results from other states with similar requirements. In Mississippi, the state’s third grade retention policy has contributed to its nation-leading reading gains over the past decade.
Even though it benefited students, Ohio’s retention rule rankled district administrators and teachers’ unions. Regrettably, state legislators last summer yielded to their complaints and, as part of the state’s two-year budget, gutted third grade retention in House Bill 33. Now, schools are allowed to promote third graders who cannot read at a third-grade level so long as their parents approve.
Proponents of this giant loophole call it “empowering parents.” But what it really does is let schools off the hook. Loath to hold students back, some may counsel parents to move their child ahead even if the child can barely read. There is even a form letter schools can use to make obtaining parental sign-off easier. Yes, these maneuvers are legal. But they are bad for kids and bad for the state.
With mandatory retention in tatters, social promotion has returned with a vengeance. In 2023–24, the first year the exemption was in effect, Ohio schools promoted an astonishing 98% of third graders to fourth grade. This occurred despite the fact that just 65% of third graders scored proficient on state reading exams. The Cleveland school district promoted 88% of its third graders even though just 36% achieved reading proficiency. Five other Cuyahoga County districts promoted 100% of third graders, even though less than half achieved proficiency.
Aaron Churchill is Ohio Research Director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.Courtesy of Aaron Churchill
Moms and dads should absolutely be involved in their child’s reading development. Indeed, other provisions of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee — still intact — require schools to engage parents of struggling readers before they reach third grade. This should certainly happen, both to encourage parents to be active in their child’s learning and to ensure that no parent is taken by surprise if their child falls short on a third-grade assessment.
A decade ago, state lawmakers pledged to Ohioans that all children would read proficiently. That was the right thing to do. But last summer, they back-pedaled by gutting retention. Today’s struggling readers are no longer guaranteed the extra time and support afforded to them through retention. This error can be undone by restoring the retention requirement. Will legislators again do the right thing?
Aaron Churchill is Ohio Research Director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
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