Maryland Department of Education is proposing a new comprehensive literacy policy to address the alarming statistic that nearly 70% of school children in the state are reading below their grade level and yet are being promoted to the next grade. The State Department of Education’s new Director of Literacy Programs, Dr. Tenette Smith, believes this practice of promoting struggling readers without proper intervention is detrimental as the learning gap only widens over time.
The proposed policy focuses on catching struggling readers early and providing additional support to students, their parents, and teachers. If interventions prove unsuccessful, the policy includes the option of having the lowest performing students repeat the 3rd grade, a practice known as retention. This controversial aspect of the plan has faced opposition from the state superintendent’s association, who argue that retention may do more harm than good and be costly.
Despite these concerns, Dr. Smith emphasizes the importance of setting higher expectations for Maryland students to prevent dropout rates in high school. The State Board of Education is expected to vote on the final version of the plan in September, with the first children impacted by the policy entering first grade in the upcoming fall. Dr. Smith believes that by implementing this literacy policy, Maryland can offer a better future for its students and ensure they are adequately prepared for academic success.
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