Should kids be held back in third grade if they can’t read? As of this year, 18 states say yes and impose some form of retention policy linked to a child’s reading scores, according to the advocacy ...

California has invested heavily in the science of reading, but literacy test scores haven't greatly improved. Studies show ...

One boy, now 12, said he still struggles with feeling "stupid" after his experience with Tennessee's reading law in 2023.

At some point over the past few pandemic years, many states pressed pause on one particular high-stakes, controversial piece of education policy: 3rd grade retention. But now, it’s back. The laws ...

The wave of early reading legislation across the country has brought a renewed focus on 3rd grade retention policies —requirements or recommendations that students who aren’t reading on grade level by ...

The Hechinger Report covers one topic: education. Sign up for our newsletters to have stories delivered to your inbox. Consider becoming a member to support our nonprofit journalism. Thousands of ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A pandemic-related exception to the requirement that students repeat the third grade if they’re not reading proficiently ends with this academic year, and state lawmakers are ...

Thousands of parents of third graders across Tennessee are still awaiting test results that will set off off a fast-moving timeline to determine if their children will be held back or not. The raw ...

Alabama’s third-graders largely held their ground on state reading assessments in the 2025-26 school year, with 88.2% of ...

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — State testing is approaching schools around the state, and in 2026, test scores will determine who will move on to the next grade, partially for the third-grade students.