3rd Grade Reading Ohio Achievement Assessment Tuesday, October 8, 2013 Dear Third Grade Families, As you read

in this months newsletter, your child will be taking the Fall Third Grade Reading OAA next Tuesday, October 8th. The 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment is designed to measure what students know and are able to do as defined by Ohios reading standards in kindergarten through grade three. Students will have two opportunities to take the 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment, once in the fall and again in the spring. The higher score from the two assessments is retained for the students assessment records. Why do students take the 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment twice? The assessment measures the early literacy skills in Ohios reading standards in kindergarten through grade three. In grade four, Ohios reading standards introduce more advanced literacy skills that build upon the K-3 early literacy skills. For this reason, the assessment is administered early in grade three to assist with diagnosing a students needs for reading instruction throughout the third grade school year. When will I receive my childs scores from the 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment? The district usually receives student score reports from the Ohio Department of Education at the end of November. At that time, we will offer a meeting with Third Grade Parents to talk about these test results and how to interpret your students report. Results are also provided to classroom teachers, and each students score report will be sent home. What types of questions are on the 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment? The assessment includes four reading passages: two fiction and two nonfiction. Each passage is followed by questions that measure Ohios reading standards for grades K-3. The assessment includes 36-37 items (29 multiple-choice questions and 7-8 written response items). Students have two and one half hours to take the test. How may I assist my child with preparing for the fall administration of the 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment? First, its important to remember that the fall administration serves as a diagnostic measure to determine how best to assist students in their learning during the third grade year. Students are not expected to master the state standards for third grade until the end of the school year. However, you can help by ensuring that your student has been prepared by a good nights sleep, a nutritious breakfast, and a positive attitude to do their best. *Please note that we will be providing free of charge a nutritious breakfast for all Third Grade students upon their arrival at school. Where can I find more information about Ohios Reading Academic Content and the 3rd Grade Reading Achievement Assessment? As always, please feel free to contact your childs classroom teacher for more information. Additionally, you will find information from the Ohio Department of Education at www.education.ohio.gov Keyword search: achievement assessments. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at 419436-4125 or by email tmatz@fostriaschools.org. Respectfully,