Third graders will take high stakes iREAD3 test in March

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - In March third graders across the state will take a new test. It's called the iREAD3 test and it's designed to test students on whether or not they can read at a third grade level. FWCS administrators explained why this point in a students career is being singled out.

"Children learn to read between Pre-K and 3rd grade and beginning in 4th grade they read to learn," said Get Nichols, Director of elementary administration.

Nichols said the state issued test will be multiple choice and take students a little more than an hour to take, but Dan Bickel, Area Administrator for Elementary Schools said the short test can have long-term effects.

"The third graders only have two opportunities to take this test, the original time in March and one additional time in the summer," said Bickel. "Once they've taken it twice if they are not successful on the second attempt then they will be bound by the state law that requires them to participate in third grade instruction the following fall."

Bickel said the district interprets the state's rules as meaning the student will repeat third grade reading, but not the entire grade. The official testing period the state regulates is from March 19-21. FWCS will be issuing it on March 20 and will also allow students who may miss that day to make it up on March 21.

  Teachers and administrators are asking parents to help their students at home and keep them focused . The iREAD test will come immediately following the week of the iStep test.

"It is very valuable for them to discuss with their children about what they read, something as simple as when the child reads have a discussion with them to make sure that their children comprehend and understand what they're reading," said Nichols. 

While FWCS administrators are confident 3rd graders will do well, they are prepared to help those students who might struggle, too.

"We have a plan in place to begin working with students who were not successful on iREAD between the time we get the results in April and when we get the results and the end of school we will be providing additional services to those kids," he said.

After school is out a remediation program for students who do not pass starts up. It leads all the way up to the final re-take in the summer. 

The results from the test are expected to come back in early April.