LOCS Superintendent Marion Ginopolis will regularly share thoughts and updates about district-related topics in The Review.

Reading is critical for a student’s success. In 2016 the state of Michigan Legislature passed the “Read by Grade Three” law to ensure that students exit third grade reading at or above grade level.

This law will affect the current third grade students.

In accordance with this law, and as a means of better informing classroom instruction, school districts throughout the state will be administering grades K-3 assessments to students three times a year. These assessments will identify students who need intensive reading instruction and intervention and will also provide useful information to help teachers tailor instruction to meet individual student needs.

The law also requires districts to provide early and regular written communication to parents of students with reading difficulties, which includes information about current services being provided, additional reading supports planned for the child, and strategies for parents to help the child at home. (Read-At-Home plan).

Lake Orion Community Schools remains proactive, having administered assessments/screeners to K-3 grade students for the past 10 years and it is the third year LOCS teachers will be providing parents with an Individual Reading Improvement Plan and Read-At-Home Plan.

All third-grade students will be required to take a standardized state assessment (M-STEP) in the spring to determine promotion to fourth grade. This school year, if a third-grade child scores below a score set by the state, parents will be informed in writing by the state that their child may not be promoted to fourth grade.

Retention of third grade students is another requirement of the “Read by Grade Three” law.

Reading instruction is and will continue to be a major focus in the Lake Orion Community Schools. Students need strong literacy skills in order to learn in all other school subjects, such as science, social studies, writing and math.

LOCS is working hard to ensure success of our kindergarten through third grade students and family involvement is an important part of this effort.

For more information, visit: https://www.lakeorionschools.org/teaching-and-learning/third-grade-reading-legislation.