The Mississippi Department of Education will conduct an informational session about reading strategies next week in Itta Bena for families of students from kindergarten through third grade.
The session, which will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 18 in Mississippi Valley State University’s business building, is one of eight literacy meetings to be held across the state. No registration is required.
At these meetings, MDE officials will suggest strategies that families can use at home to strengthen students’ reading skills.
Families will also receive information on the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, a Mississippi law passed in 2013 that mandates that third grade students pass a reading assesment in order to be promoted to the fourth grade.
In third grade, students should transition from “learning to read to reading to learn” so that they don’t fall behind, MDE said.
Students’ results for the reading assessment are divided into five levels, with Level 5 being the highest. Students must score at least a Level 3 to pass. They have three opportunities within a year to take and pass the test before being held back.
