Thousands of Arkansas third graders could be held back under LEARNS retention rule – Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The need for serious literacy intervention in Arkansas is “massive,” said Michael Barger, program director at AR Kids Read, a North Little Rock-based nonprofit group. Education officials tabbed AR Kids in December to lead the state’s campaign to boost third-grade reading scores.

Roughly 70% of Little Rock area students are not reading at grade level, he said. In some parts of southeast Arkansas, that rate reaches 90%, according to Barger.

“I think the reality of Arkansas is not desperate. It’s beyond desperate,” Barger said. “When I walk around Little Rock, if I’m in the middle of a grocery store and there’s groups of kids around me, I have to realize that seven out of those 10 kids probably are not on grade-level reading.”