What Is Third Grade Reading Guarantee?

Ohio Senate Bill 316, signed into law in June 2012, includes the Third Grade Reading Guarantee that says students who enter the third grade in 2014-2015 or after, must score at a certain level on Ohio’s third-grade reading achievement assessment to be advanced to the fourth grade. Except for students with special circumstances, students must meet a minimum score on the state reading test to move on to the fourth grade. Students not scoring at the determined level are now legally mandated to be retained in third grade. The law allows for certain exceptions to the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, that may apply to students with disabilities, students who have already been retained, and some English language learners.