Read by Grade Three

In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed a law that requires schools to identify learners who are struggling with reading and writing and to provide additional help. The law states that all Kindergarten students will be assessed within the first 90 days of school and students in grades 1 to 3 within the first 30 days of school. Schools are required to communicate reading needs and interventions with families of students struggling to read with an Individual Reading Improvement Plan. For 3rd graders that take the MStep and score 1271 or below on the ELA portion of the test, families will receive a letter from the Center of Educational Performance and Information letting them know that their child is identified as having a reading deficiency.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has compiled resources and responses to frequently asked questions regarding the “Read by Grade Three” law.

If your child receives an Individual Reading Improvement Plan (IRIP) from their school, below is more information about their recommended "Focus of Instruction."

Focus of Instruction

Phonemic Awareness

Phonics

Fluency

Vocabulary

Comprehension

Definition

The ability to hear and distinguish sounds.

The ability to understand the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent.

The ability to read with sufficient speed to support understanding.

Knowledge of and memory for word meanings.

The ability to understand and draw meaning from text.