70% of our third-graders are behind in reading

The West Virginia Board of Education has approved the state’s participation in The Campaign for Grade Level Reading.

A recent West Virginia KIDS COUNT report found that seven in 10 children can’t read proficiently by the end of third grade. The report says three-fourths of those children will remain poor readers throughout high school, and one in six won’t graduate.
 

The Campaign for Grade Level Reading is a national network of groups emphasizes third-grade reading as a critical target. The program includes parents, educators and others who have an impact on literacy throughout a child’s life.
 

     The state Department of Education says an advisory committee will coordinate West Virginia’s campaign efforts.