4 in 10 Louisiana 3rd graders can't read at grade level, putting whole school career at risk

Aug. 11—The number of third-graders with major reading problems has gotten worse since the start of the pandemic, just the latest red flag in Louisiana's uphill fight to improve its crippling literacy woes.

Third-graders scoring below grade level in reading and related topics shot up 37% this year compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic started playing havoc with classrooms, according to the latest LEAP results.

The latest results show 41% of those children are reading below grade level.

A total of 53% of Black children scored at the two lowest achievement levels, a 26% hike over the last pre-pandemic snapshot.

Among White students 27% scored either approaching basic or unsatisfactory, a 59% increases over 2019.

The five achievement levels are advanced, mastery, basic, approaching basic and unsatisfactory.

Students who score approaching basic or unsatisfactory are generally considered to be performing below grade level, which boosts chances for learning problems and eventually dropping out of school.

The roughly 50,000 third-graders who took the tests last spring were first-graders when the coronavirus pandemic forced the sudden closure of public schools on March 13, 2020.

As second-graders those children grappled with stops and starts in classroom routines, and still more interruptions as third-graders during the 2021-22 school year.

State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has repeatedly said the first-graders of 2020 need special attention.

"We do know we have work to do there," Brumley said earlier this month.

John Wyble, president and CEO of The Center for Literacy and Learning, made the same point.

"It stands to reason we have some catchup," Wyble said.

LEAP measure what students know about math, English/language arts, science and social studies.

Wyble noted that students showed gains in other areas, and he said teachers deserve praise for their work amid the pandemic.

Third graders were tested on how well they understand what they read.

They are asked to read texts, answer reading and vocabulary questions, be able to cite evidence from texts when quizzed about specific passages and be able to focus on words that matter most in texts.

Third grade is also considered a key snapshot for future success in school.

"Research suggests that students who are not reading at grade level are at a much higher risk of dropping out of high school," Wyble's group said in a statement that accompanied comments on the LEAP results.

Even before the latest results less than half of students in kindergarten, first and second grades were reading on grade level.

Among third-graders this year more than 1 in 5 — 22% — scored at the lowest achievement level in English/language arts.

A total of 30% of Black students finished in the lowest category — up from 19% in 2019 — and 12% of White students, up from 6% two years ago.

Brumley said educators need to focus on the science of reading, phonics, monitoring students, ensuring high-quality educators are leading the instruction and a "high dosage" of tutoring.

He said one positive note is the fact that, since third-graders have never been tested, it is unclear how much progress they have made since the start of the pandemic.

"We believe that we can make progress with this cohort of students," he said. "We know that we have to make progress with this cohort of students."

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Aug. 23 will consider sweeping changes in public schools, including Louisiana's first accountability system for students in kindergarten, first and second grades.

That push is largely aimed at improved reading, including assessments at the beginning and end of school years to measure literacy progress.

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