Third-graders among state's leaders in reading achievement

A recent report completed by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) shows that Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) third grade students performed in the top 20 (out of 132 school districts) on the 2010 reading Standards of Learning (SOL) test.
The JLARC report, "Strategies to Promote Third Grade Reading Performance in Virginia," shows OCPS third graders were ranked 11th in the state based on a pass rate of 89.6 percent. Orange third graders also ranked 19th in the state when comparing actual pass rate with the "predicted" pass rate.
"It remains absolutely essential that all of our students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade," said Orange County school superintendent Bob Grimesey. "Our staff has embraced this challenge for several years and other assessment outcomes have given us the impression that we were succeeding. But the JLARC report was a very pleasant and unexpected affirmation that our suspicions were too modest. Not only are our youngest children learning to read well, they are learning to read well enough to rank among Virginia's most successful communities."
The report assessed division-level performance of third grade students based on division's actual pass rate and the difference between the actual division pass rate and the division's "predicted" pass rate. The actual pass rate indicates how close or how far school divisions are from achieving proficiency. In determining the predicted pass rate, the state employed a statistical analysis which included factors that are considered to be beyond school division control but which have an impact on student pass rates. These factors include economic status, disability status, and student race. Exceeding the predicted pass rate is a more direct indicator of the value that is added by a school division's reading program, the JLARC report stated.
The JLARC report identifies ten options to improve reading performance in kindergarten through third grade in Virginia. "When reviewing the JLARC's options to improve performance, we found that our elementary schools already are implementing nine of the ten recommendations," said Bill Berry, Orange County's director of elementary instruction. "This coupled with the results we achieved on the 2010 and the 2011 Reading SOL validates what we are doing in our elementary reading instruction."
Orange County's county-wide success with the SOL reading test is due, in part, to the "intentional and rigorous instruction that adjusts reading programs based on student needs," said Judy Anderson, who is serving in her first year as principal of Orange Elementary School after a successful five-year tenure as principal of Lightfoot Elementary.
The 89.6 percent pass rate by OCPS third grade students exceeded that of all neighboring school systems. Other central Virginia pass rates on the 2010 third grade SOL reading test were as follows: Albemarle County, 86.51 percent; Culpeper County, 81.63 percent; Greene County, 70.05 percent; Louisa County, 82.54 percent; Madison County, 82.17 percent; and Spotsylvania County, 82.01 percent.
Locust Grove Elementary School (LGES) principal Jesse Magruder credited the "engaging reading incentive that promotes reading all the time" as a primary factor in his school's success. "Our school has an active reading committee that consistently promotes activities and incentives to encourage children to read," added LGES third grade teacher Melanie Kelson. "Teachers talk up the programs and incentives, and support the committee's efforts by implementing the activities in all of our classrooms. We show students that reading is fun and we model pleasure-reading for them, as well as give prizes for goals met. We try to teach the importance of reading and how it helps us in all areas of our lives."
Both Gordon-Barbour Elementary School and Orange Elementary School stated their success is linked to a belief in the success of all students and a formal test prep program. "During the 2009-2010 school year, we implemented a formal test prep program based on information learned at an educational conference," said Gordon-Barbour reading specialist Emily Miksovic. It was by far the most effective test prep we have ever done and we are continuing to do it."
"Students were pushed and encouraged to take responsibility and pride in their work," added Orange Elementary School third grade teacher Amanda Stevens. "They set goals and kept track of their improvement on practice tests and weekly skills tests. They also set goals to improve particular skills. This resulted in the students wanting to do well for themselves which was the ultimate motivator."