Strategic-Plan-Final-Spread A - Flipbook - Page 24
24 STRATEGIC PLAN - PHASE 1
PRIORITY 02:
READY TO READ
All Maryland students are proficient in
reading by the end of third grade, and those
who are not have the necessary supports to
become proficient.
Research shows that the development and mastery of early literacy skills are a strong predictor of later school
reading and math achievement. It is crucial that all Maryland students are able to successfully transition from
learning to read to reading to learn. Reading proficiently is more and more important after third grade, and
students that are behind are at higher risk of not finishing high school ready for college and career.
Thousands of Maryland children reach fourth grade without learning to read proficiently. The shortfall is
especially pronounced among low-income children. Failure to read proficiently is linked to higher rates of
school dropout, which limits individual earning potential as well as Maryland’s competitiveness and productivity.
Reading proficiently by the end third grade is a crucial marker for every Maryland child’s educational
development.
Fortunately, much is already known about the science of how children learn to read and how to teach and
develop reading skills. The problem is that policies are too fragmented, practices too segmented by children’s
age and grade, and key preparation and intervention programs too limited to realize positive results at scale.
MARYLAND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADE 3 OUTCOME TWO YEARS LATER COHORT
ANALYSIS: 2019 GRADE 3 TO 2021 GRADE 5
Of the students that were not proficient in grade 3 in 2019 (31,590), only 6% were proficient in grade 5 in 2021.
For students that were proficient in grade 3 in 2019 (22,663), 47% were not proficient in grade 5 in 2021. Today,
more than half of Maryland students are not proficient in reading by the end of grade 3.