Why Grade 3?

As students transition from early to upper elementary grades, reading instruction also shifts. Once students enter fourth grade, they are increasingly tasked to learn from their reading rather than learn how to read. There is a higher expectation for students to be able to readindependently and understand what they are reading. Reading at or above grade level by the
end of third grade is a significant predictor of future success. Children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade will continue to struggle academically as they are called upon to engage with increasingly complex texts across content areas.¹

¹Annie E. Casey Foundation, Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty
Influence High School Graduation, 2011