Experts say early literacy gaps don’t just affect academics — they can shape long-term outcomes well beyond the classroom.

The first major moment in a child’s schooling — what many educators call the "make-or-break" year for literacy — is third grade. By the end of third grade, students are expected to transition from ...

Arkansas students entering the third grade at public schools and open enrollment charter schools this fall will be the first cohort to be retained if they don’t meet literacy expectations, a policy ...

New data shows 87.3% of Hoosier third graders demonstrated proficient reading skills on the IREAD exam in 2024-25. (Getty Images) Indiana’s latest reading assessment scores showed the largest ...

A new Oklahoma bill inspired by Mississippi's success aims to improve literacy by retaining third-graders who fail reading tests and implementing summer academies.

LIMA — Thirty-six percent of third-graders at Lima schools earned proficient reading scores on their state English language arts assessment last school year. Almost the entire class advanced to the ...