OKC schools head says repeal 3rd-grade reading law

(Information in the following story is from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools wants state lawmakers to repeal Oklahoma’s third-grade reading law.

Under the Reading Sufficiency Act, third-graders who score unsatisfactory on a state-mandated test will be held back unless they qualify for exemptions.

But Superintendent Rob Neu says the law does not serve the individual needs of children. Neu says retention is not an effective strategy and research suggests students who are retained have a higher probability of dropping out.

The Oklahoman reports that statistics indicate more than 600 third-graders who failed the test were held back when school started on August 4th. Another 500 third-graders who scored unsatisfactory on the test qualified for exemptions and were promoted.

The superintendent says students do not learn at the same rate and in the same way.