The Greenwood Public School District is launching efforts to improve elementary reading comprehension in the wake of disappointing results on third-grade reading tests released earlier this month.
Third-graders were required to achieve a minimum score on the Third Grade Summative Assessments in order to move on to the fourth grade, based on the requirements of state’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act. Across the Greenwood district, 85 percent of students passed.
Dr. Montrell Greene, district superintendent, announced the formation of a districtwide third-grade book club at Tuesday’s school board meeting. The club will guide third-grade students through two to four books over the course of the school year.
The school board approved the establishment of a “special third-grade transitional class,” which is intended to provide remediation for students who failed the third- grade gate test.
Five third-grade students from Bankston Elementary and 11 from Threadgill will be reassigned to Davis Elementary.
“We’re going to try to make sure that we’re not only working on third-grade reading but also fourth-grade reading,” said Greene.
Also Tuesday, the district formally received a certificate of reaccreditation from Dr. Keith Shaffer of AdvancED.
AdvancED, a nonprofit agency created after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) merged with several other accrediting agencies, conducts a review of districts every five years.
Accreditation by AdvancED is unrelated to the district’s accreditation from the Mississippi Department of Education.
AdvancED reaccredited the district in July but did not formally present a certificate until Tuesday.
Shaffer said accreditation by a regional authority is crucial for students hoping to go on to institutions of higher learning out of state.
The board also approved a change in its meeting schedule. Beginning in October, it will meet on the third Tuesday of every month.
• Contact Nick Rogers at 581-7235 or nrogers@gwcommonwealth.com.
