Read to Achieve

Cherokee County Schools


August 26, 2024


Dear Parent or Guardian, 


As your child begins third grade, you will see a concentrated focus in ensuring students can read at or above grade level and are making progress in reading proficiency. The goal is to ensure all third-grade students can read, comprehend, integrate, and apply complex texts needed for academic success and to ensure all students can meet the requirements of the Read to Achieve law (G.S. §115C-83.1). 


There are four ways your students can meet the promotion requirement of the Read to Achieve legislation. Students can:

  1. score an achievement level 3, 4, or 5 on the North Carolina Beginning-of-Grade 3 Reading Test, which will be administered during the first 15 days of school.
  2. successfully complete a student reading portfolio. 
  3. achieve a 725 Lexile the State Board of Education-approved local alternative assessment. 
  4. achieve a 725 Lexile on the formative, diagnostic assessment during a benchmark period.
  5. score an achievement level 3, 4, or 5 on the North Carolina Grade 3 Reading End-of-Grade (EOG) Test. If your student is not proficient on the North Carolina Reading EOG Test and has not met the Read to Achieve law through one of the previously stated pathways, he or she will have the opportunity to take the reading EOG test again as a retest, the Read to Achieve Test, or the locally-approved alternative test.  

If your student has not satisfied the requirements of the Read to Achieve law by the end of third grade, he or she can attend a reading camp to help improve reading skills. At the end of reading camp, students achieving proficiency are eligible to be promoted to fourth grade. 


Students who do not achieve proficiency at the end of reading camp can be retained in third grade, placed in a transitional third and fourth class combination with a retained reading label, or placed in a fourth-grade accelerated reading class with a retained reading label. Ninety minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction is provided daily in these classes. Students in the transitional third and fourth class combination or fourth-grade accelerated class are eligible to retake the Read to Achieve Test again by November 1 to achieve a mid-year promotion and to have the retained reading label removed. Students will remain in the same fourth-grade class for the entire school year and will continue to receive uninterrupted reading instruction throughout fourth grade to support ongoing improvement in reading skills. 


After November 1, non-proficient students may complete a reading portfolio, pass the local alternative assessment, achieve a 725 Lexile on the DIBELS 8 assessment during a benchmark period, or pass the North Carolina Grade 4 Reading EOG Test by the end of the fourth-grade year and have the retained reading label removed.  


If you have questions or concerns about the Read to Achieve law, please contact your child’s school or myself at 828-837-2722. 


Sincerely, 



Ruby Cutshaw

For more information on Read to Achieve, Early Literacy, or ways to help your child improve their reading skills, please see the information below. 
Early Literacy Specialist
  • Michelle Marr
Early Learning Inventory
  • Holly McKellar
Read to Achieve
  • Ruby Cutshaw
  • Holly McKellar  
LETRS
  • Holly McKellar
  •