Passed during the 2014 legislative session, the Literacy-Based Promotion Act places an emphasis on grade-level reading skills for students, particularly as they progress from Kindergarten through grade three. Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, a student scoring at the lowest achievement level in reading on the established state assessment for 3rd grade will not be promoted to 4th grade unless the student meets the good cause exemptions for promotion.
The Meridian Public School District has worked and will continue to work diligently to ensure all students are able to read at a third grade level by the end of third grade by:
- Providing 12 pre-kindergarten classrooms to help ensure students have the early reading skills needed for entry into Kindergarten;
- Increasing the amount of instructional time for reading instruction in grades K-3;
- Assessing all students in Kindergarten through grade 3 a minimum of three times annually to determine student progress in reading;
- Setting school level, classroom level, and individual student level goals for reading;
- Keeping parents informed in writing of student progress following each assessment;
- Providing a Title 1 teacher at each elementary school to provide reading interventions for students;
- Providing evidence-based classroom and intervention materials and instructional software for schools;
- Providing interventions for students who need additional support in reading instruction based upon student data;
- Providing high quality professional development for elementary school teachers related to effective reading instruction; and
- Meeting regularly with parents and community members to keep them informed regarding how they can be effectively involved in helping students become better readers in the Meriidan Public School District.
