Anonymous
02/08/2026 11:55
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:People need to understand that with increased standards, a certain percentage of students will not make benchmarks even with extra help. There are just as many kids on the left side of the bell curve as the right.
Performance is going down based on the same standards
Anonymous
02/08/2026 11:17
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
People need to understand that with increased standards, a certain percentage of students will not make benchmarks even with extra help. There are just as many kids on the left side of the bell curve as the right.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 11:00
Subject: Re:Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:Teacher here: I am intrigued. I teach middle school and have many students who read at the kindergarten to third grade level. There is not much I can do with students who are that far behind. It’s not even the reading ability per se that is the problem but the motivation problems these students have (understandably!) something does need to change and we don’t do kids who can’t read any favor by passing them along either.
But it’s literally impossible to hold back 70% of a third grade class. Schools cannot accommodate this. And really- this isn’t the solution. When we have this many kids not being able to read, that should clue administrators in that this is a fundamental problem in the curriculum and teaching methods. How kids are educated needs to change.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 09:30
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Our school may be an exception, but at the elementary school I work at the vast majority of kids reading significantly below grade level are English language learners. It sounds like they would be considered an exception to this policy, in which case I don’t see how the policy would change anything for us.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 09:29
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is going to disproportionately impact students with dyslexia who haven’t received adequate services.
It’s hugely damaging to the kid. They should instead be doing universal dyslexia screenings in 1st grade and provide services to all kids who have dyslexia.
Wait, they don't do universal dyslexia screenings in 1st? That is shocking to me. I thought that was standard.
DCPS does universal screenings.
My kid is 1st and all I know is they administer DIBELS 3x per year. My kid was in the "needs support" category for most of K and beginning of 1st and they didn't offer much support. We got tutoring outside of school and kid is on track now.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 09:27
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This sounds unfair except if they are going to offer kids struggling in K/1 more reading supports.
In Mississippi, they DID offer more reading supports - and a better Phonics-centered curriculum - and early screening for LD.
If the person behind this came from MS, where a literacy miracle occurred, then I would expect all of those to be part of the package.
I thought I read something about the data for Mississippi being bogus. The data excludes the kids that failed I think?
Anonymous
02/08/2026 09:07
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Does mcps have universal dyslexia screening policy?
Anonymous
02/08/2026 08:55
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Should be occurring nation-wide. We need to stop burdening society with people to lazy to pass an incredibly low bar.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 05:45
Subject: Re:Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Teacher here: I am intrigued. I teach middle school and have many students who read at the kindergarten to third grade level. There is not much I can do with students who are that far behind. It’s not even the reading ability per se that is the problem but the motivation problems these students have (understandably!) something does need to change and we don’t do kids who can’t read any favor by passing them along either.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 19:18
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:This is going to disproportionately impact students with dyslexia who haven’t received adequate services.
It’s hugely damaging to the kid. They should instead be doing universal dyslexia screenings in 1st grade and provide services to all kids who have dyslexia.
+1000. Putting cart before horse.
-phonics
-universal screening
-then ‘punish’ child if you want to be inhumane
This is classic politicians leading in the classroom without being teachers.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 18:35
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:This sounds unfair except if they are going to offer kids struggling in K/1 more reading supports.
In Mississippi, they DID offer more reading supports - and a better Phonics-centered curriculum - and early screening for LD.
If the person behind this came from MS, where a literacy miracle occurred, then I would expect all of those to be part of the package.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 18:33
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:This is going to disproportionately impact students with dyslexia who haven’t received adequate services.
It’s hugely damaging to the kid. They should instead be doing universal dyslexia screenings in 1st grade and provide services to all kids who have dyslexia.
It is an opportunity to hold public schools accountable for teaching dyslexic students properly - using Orton-Gillingham. Over time it will create pressure for schools to screen earlier for dyslexia and dysgraphia.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 08:56
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
This policy will just create more administrative work for teachers.
Parents of struggling readers are on their own.
Parents of struggling readers are on their own.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 08:46
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy
Anonymous wrote:This is going to disproportionately impact students with dyslexia who haven’t received adequate services.
It’s hugely damaging to the kid. They should instead be doing universal dyslexia screenings in 1st grade and provide services to all kids who have dyslexia.
Wait, they don't do universal dyslexia screenings in 1st? That is shocking to me. I thought that was standard.
DCPS does universal screenings.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 08:32
Subject: Maryland 3rd Grade Retention for Reading Policy