Background and the LEARNS Act

Arkansas is facing a critical challenge in third grade reading proficiency. Far too many of our students are falling behind national benchmarks, signaling a growing gap that demands urgent attention.

As leaders in education, understanding the profound, long-term consequences when children do not read proficiently by the end of third grade is essential for all leaders.

This milestone is not just an academic benchmark, it's a pivotal predictor of future academic success, high school graduation, and lifelong opportunity.

To ensure our students are reading by 3rd grade, the LEARNS Act charged the Arkansas Department of Education to update its requirements for 3rd grade promotion.

The LEARNS ACT outlines requirements for:

• Criteria for promotion to 4th grade
• Good cause exemptions
• Required supports and interventions

Key Information: Please refer to the District Toolkit for detailed information and resources.

The goal is to intervene early, well before promotion decisions are necessary.

Early identification allows for timely intervention, reducing the need for retention decisions at the end of grade 3.

To ensure students are on track to meet the third-grade reading standard, districts should identify and provide early, targeted support to kindergarten through grade 2 students who show signs of reading difficulty, including in-class support and Intersession & Summer Programs.

Good Cause Exemptions:

Under the Arkansas LEARNS Act, students who do not meet the third-grade reading standard may still be promoted to grade 4 if they qualify for a good cause exemption. These exemptions apply when a student does not meet the reading standard but meets specific criteria that warrant promotion.

Required Services for Identified students:

Students who do not meet the third-grade reading standard and are not promoted to grade 4 or promoted through a good cause exemption must receive intensive, targeted support to accelerate their reading development and progress toward grade-level proficiency.

Districts are responsible for ensuring ongoing monitoring and timely adjustments to interventions throughout the school year to help each student reach grade-level proficiency.

Consistent Family Communication:

Schools must communicate with families early and often to ensure they are informed partners in supporting their child's reading development. Communication should happen throughout the year, not just when a child is identified as at risk.

Schools should share assessment results, progress updates, and information about available support in a timely, clear, and proactive way. Families should be given opportunities to ask questions and participate in their child's support plan.