Reading and the Third Grade

Gordon Campbell, the president of the United Way of NYC, cited the 2009 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NEAP) which is often considered to be a common yardstick for measuring academic progress across the country. The report exposes some troubling facts about the academic progress of America's low-income students. Among fourth graders, the report found 83 percent of low-income children were not considered to be at the "proficient" level in reading. Even more shocking was the fact that 49 percent of these students were below even the "basic"level. Children unable to read proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to face more serious problems as they grow.