No More Reading Levels in Grades 3 - 5

[Anonymous]

So my neighbor is a reading specialist and she just shared with me today that schools received a memo indicating that students in grades 3 - 5 will no longer have their reading levels on their report cards. She explained that the new push in MCPS is to have all students read complex text that is two to three years above grade level. That's great but what if a student doesn't read on grade level? My friend said that the report card will simply state if a student is reading below, on or above target. I feel like we're taking a step backwards by not being transparent in exactly where our children are reading. Am I the only one who thinks this is nuts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So my neighbor is a reading specialist and she just shared with me today that schools received a memo indicating that students in grades 3 - 5 will no longer have their reading levels on their report cards. She explained that the new push in MCPS is to have all students read complex text that is two to three years above grade level. That's great but what if a student doesn't read on grade level? My friend said that the report card will simply state if a student is reading below, on or above target. I feel like we're taking a step backwards by not being transparent in exactly where our children are reading. Am I the only one who thinks this is nuts?

Honors for all! This is really bad. Now it becomes default OK to use all of ES to learn to read instead of just through grade 3. Services some well, destructive to others.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and really don't understand why they're going this route. We will still have the benchmarks to determine if they're reading below, on or above grade level so why would we not share that info on the report card? Another decision made without consulting the people who actually teach the students and communicate with the parents.

[Anonymous]

How motivating for a child to work hard or set goals. No grades, no grades nor corrected work, no levels to see or achieve.

Kumbaya, we are all the same here in MCPS. Just keep averaging down and down and down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and really don't understand why they're going this route. We will still have the benchmarks to determine if they're reading below, on or above grade level so why would we not share that info on the report card? Another decision made without consulting the people who actually teach the students and communicate with the parents.

I hope you will still share that info with parents even if it does not officially go on the report card...

[Anonymous]

I teach upper elementary and cannot believe we're going this route. I heard we no longer have to report out MIRL (running records) on a monthly basis anymore and K to 2 only has to do it twice a year now! How do we go from having to assess students' instructional reading levels on a monthly basis to just two times a year (or none in the upper grades)? What the heck is happening? I know for certain I'll be doing an end of marking period running record on all of my students in case a parent wants to know their child's level.

[Anonymous]

WTH is wrong with this system?! Why does every kid have to read 2-3 grades above their grade level?!

[Anonymous]

That's great for a kid like mine who the teachers underestimate and could be more challenged but MCPS does such a poor just with reading comprehension and reading disorders how would that work for a child who is still struggling. Sounds like another bad MCPS plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach upper elementary and cannot believe we're going this route. I heard we no longer have to report out MIRL (running records) on a monthly basis anymore and K to 2 only has to do it twice a year now! How do we go from having to assess students' instructional reading levels on a monthly basis to just two times a year (or none in the upper grades)? What the heck is happening? I know for certain I'll be doing an end of marking period running record on all of my students in case a parent wants to know their child's level.

You are a better teacher than what we have had as ours will not tell us reading levels and we just hear it from the kids. All we get are MAP scores to show level and that is only because thanks to this site, we can get them online.

[Anonymous]

I used to teach in MCPS and now stay at home. Thank God!We had a ridiculous amount of PD several years ago regarding MIRL and the importance of assessing students' reading levels to diagnose their needs. Now it's down to twice a year? Why does the county consistently jump on some crazy initiative at breakneck speed, ride the crazy train for awhile and then suddenly drop it from a teacher's routine? As much as it was a pain in the ass to enter my running record data on a monthly basis, I will say it held me accountable and the data was useful for planning.

[Anonymous]

But parents on this board complain that the bar is set too low!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach upper elementary and cannot believe we're going this route. I heard we no longer have to report out MIRL (running records) on a monthly basis anymore and K to 2 only has to do it twice a year now! How do we go from having to assess students' instructional reading levels on a monthly basis to just two times a year (or none in the upper grades)? What the heck is happening? I know for certain I'll be doing an end of marking period running record on all of my students in case a parent wants to know their child's level.

You are a better teacher than what we have had as ours will not tell us reading levels and we just hear it from the kids. All we get are MAP scores to show level and that is only because thanks to this site, we can get them online.

Honestly, everyone at the school level knows what a train wreck central office is and the "stuff" is most definitely running downhill. What exactly has Dr. Smith accomplished in his time here? I feel like this school system has become even more chaotic since his arrival. He's completely dismantled offices that were working to support ALL levels of learners and their teachers. We have morale at an all time low and our awesome curriculum is still around for another year due to the RFP screw up. Well done, sir.

[Anonymous]

For the upper grades (3-5), MIRL will be completed for everyone at the beginning of the year. It still will have to be done monthly (and data entered) for all students not meeting benchmark (are below grade level). There will be a new assessment that will be administered once a marking period using a rigorous text.

And MCPS teachers...EMAT and progress checks are no longer required (individual schools can decide if they will still use them). There will be a NEW math assessment that will be used this year

[Anonymous]

For the upper grades - where was it stated that MIRL will be completed for everyone at the beginning of the year? It definitely wasn't in the memo to principals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the upper grades - where was it stated that MIRL will be completed for everyone at the beginning of the year? It definitely wasn't in the memo to principals.

Our reading specialist said it was recommended, which means for us, it will be done this way. Maybe it’s not technically required by mcps