Third Grade Retention Should Lead to Action

Third Grade Retention is often a concern for Florida third grader’s in charter and public schools.  13 other states have third grade retention laws and 8 others states allow schools to utilize third grade retention, where appropriate.  There are four different scenarios we have seen:

• Parents who were blindsided late in the school year when they were told their child failed the third grade reading FSA (Florida Standards Assessment) – below we will provide tools to help every parent to get a better handle on where your child is at
• Parents who correctly worked with their child’s school and relied on the school to address their child’s reading comprehension issues – this is not likely to work if your child learns differently and has attention, eye-teaming and/or anxiety challenge
• Parents who tried traditionally tutoring or learning centers and too often their child has:
  • Faced third grade retention or
  • Just passed onto fourth grade, but their child was still below grade level
  • Gotten to grade level, but their child could have done better
• Parents who tried a dyslexia program, vision therapy or other programs that focus on an issue — and often take a long time to yield the desired results

Parents who contact us about avoiding third grade retention are often surprised to realize their child:

• May learn differently — and is often a visual learner
• Has some combination of attention, eye-teaming and/or anxiety challenges
• Can make dramatic gains in months not years

We have had third grade parents call us early in the school year and we have been able to help some of these students to:

• Score well above grade level on the third grade reading FSA — even when their teacher told them to accept the fact that third grade retention — and years later be well ahead of grade level
• Go from the worst reader in their class and a reluctant reader to the best reader in her 4th grade class — and then finish in the top 10% of her high school class
• Do far better than their teachers or parents initially thought they could

Three examples of how parents and 3D Learner have helped students beat third grade retention:

1- By far the best way to beat third grade retention is early on — for a parent who called us in October, we were able to help her child go from certain retention to well above grade level

2-  For the parent who calls us later  in the year we can help a child to pass the test — but better to intervene earlier rather than later

3-  For the parent who calls us during the summer after failing the third grade test — we have helped some to pass and be promoted to 4th grade — but this is not always possible

Beat Third Grade Retention — Start with a Success MAP

• Mindset matters — if your child is struggling in third grade and is at risk for third grade retention, take massive action to help your child reach his or her potential
• Assess for Success.  We have found that many students facing  are visual learners (i.e. students who learn best when they see and experience information), and who often have a combination of attention, eye-teaming, anxiety and related issues.

                                         Students facing third grade retention are often visual learners                                                            with attention, eye-teaming and related challenges

                 Make sure you know what your child’s present level of reading comprehension is.  Too often schools      use reading fluency (i.e. how well your child reads out loud) as a surrogate for reading comprehension.

• Develop a Parent Driven Plan for Success.  This may include:
  • A program with your child’s school
  • Working with an outside professional to develop a success map for your child

At 3D Learner, we can help you to develop a powerful Success MAP that includes a:

• Mindset that sets success as the only option — in collaboration with your child’s school
• Assesses for Success — we offer 3 assessment options
  • An online Success Assessment you should do with your child that screens for the visual learner and for attention, visual processing and related challenges.  You can access this at Success Assessment
  • An in office Focus Assessment where we can assess your child’s present level of reading comprehension,  and whether there is an attention, eye-teaming and./or anxiety challenge.

Avoid third grade retention by assessing for reading comprehension and attention, visual processing and anxiety challenges

An online or in office assessment that incorporates all aspects of the Focus Assessment and adds the Structure of Intellect Assessment that identifies how your child learners best, and their strengths and challenges

• A Parent Driven Plan to help your child go from Stress to Success in Months Not Years

For more information, call us at 561-361-7495