Learning to read by the end of third grade is a pathway to a successful life (Keesler, 2019). Research by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school and are ineligible for a majority of jobs in the United States (Hernandez,…

The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to examine if a significant difference exists between the number of rural K-3rd grade student referrals to Evidence Based Instruction, EBI, prior to and post leaders' implementation of reading legislation bill in the Mid-Western United States. There is an increased awareness of the…

This purpose of this Research Brief is to analyze trends and general patterns of student in-grade retention among students in grades K-8 within the Miami-Dade County Public School (M-DCPS) for the 2022-2023 school year. While in-grade retention in grades 9-12 may occur due to the lack of credit in one or more courses, students often recover these…

Background: Early-grade reading proficiency is well documented as in important factor for later academic success. Researchers and educators consider the achievement of reading proficiency by the end of grade three to be crucial to future academic success and financial independence (Hein et al., 2013; La Paro & Pianta, 2000; Singh, 2013). As…

State leaders have long recognized the value of statewide tests. Many had well-developed testing systems long before the No Child Left Behind Act, signed in 2002, required annual assessments in grades 3-8. Another sign of that recognition is the recent plethora of new state testing requirements for K-3 students. But would states continue to test…

While numerous studies have been conducted to determine the impact of grade retention on future academic achievement and psychosocial development, few studies have targeted Florida-specific grade retention as mandated by Florida law. As it exists today, there is very little evidence that the practice of retaining students resulted in increased…

The U.S. Department of Education, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, underscores every child's right to integrate, receive support, and fully participate in school life. The problem is that significant disparities exist in reading growth scores between students with disabilities taught in special-education resource settings and…

In 2019, declines in reading achievement across Texas motivated changes for teacher recertification, which required 60-hour professional development in the science of teaching reading (STR). The problem this study addressed was the challenges K-Grade 3 reading teachers encountered when implementing the recently adopted Reading Academy content at a…

The Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) has been working closely with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) to study the implementation and outcomes of Michigan's Read by Grade Three Law in real-time as the policy takes effect. Between 2021 and 2023, the Law…

In this study, the researcher uses quantitative methods to examine the extent to which Title I funding helps public schools with large populations of economically-disadvantaged students increase student academic achievement in reading and math in grades 3-5, and whether the leaders of these schools utilize specific social justice actions…

Given the importance of teachers for students' short- and long-term success, many education policies include mandates to match targeted students with "highly effective" teachers. An example is Michigan's Read by Grade Three Law, which requires students eligible for retention to be assigned "highly effective" teachers. Using a…

This quantitative study aimed to examine the relationships between third grade reading instructional strategies in high-performing Title-One schools compared to low-performing Title-One schools in four school districts in South Carolina. The study was framed through the lens of Marzano's Theoretical Framework which outlined specific instructional…

Early literacy skills are critical to the educational outcomes of young students. Accordingly, 19 states have early literacy policies that require grade retention for underperforming readers at the end of third grade. However, there is mixed evidence about retention's effectiveness and concerns that retention may disproportionately impact…

This study was designed to investigate whether teacher literacy content knowledge affects student achievement in Texas schools. Teacher participants from Texas public schools completed a three-part survey. In Parts 1 and 2, teachers completed a demographic section and teacher knowledge of foundational reading skills. The survey consisted of…

More than half of U.S. states have enacted policies to expand financial literacy education in schools with kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) with the goal of improving students' financial literacy skills. Although financial literacy education can be key to building long-term financial capabilities and well-being, more information is needed on…