Percent of 3rd-Grade Reading Proficient Students Time Series

Metric scores are not reported for n-sizes under 10. Per OSSE's policy, secondary suppression is applied to all student groups when a complementary group has an n-size under 10 or is top/bottom suppressed to prevent the calculation of suppressed data. For more on statewide assessment results, see how this is measured. Data Source: Office of the State Superintendent of Education Why This Matters Learning how to read at an early age is important for children’s future. Not only is reading proficiency critical for lifelong learning, but research suggests that reading proficiency can lead to better academic performance in all subjects including math, science, and social studies. 3rd-graders who are not proficient in reading are four times more likely to not graduate high school on time and are also more likely to drop out of high school. Nationally, fewer Black and Latino students receive proficient scores on statewide tests compared to white and Asian students. Racial disparities in socioeconomic status and resources, neighborhood and school racial segregation, and racial biases in educational spaces contribute to racial gaps in test scores. The District Response The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has awarded additional funding to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) for English language arts (ELA) High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) and ELA High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM). DC Public Schools’ Five-year Strategic Plan identifies key actions for supporting literacy education including setting a goal of 80% of students passing or meet/exceeding performance expectations on the state ELA assessment. OSSE offers an array of instructional materials, distance learning tools, and educational resources to promote English language arts and literacy education.