COVID-19 and Third-Grade Reading Policies: An Analysis of State Guidance on Third-Grade Reading Policies in Response to COVID-19

October 2020

The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was detected in January 2020. Within two months, the disease rapidly spread throughout many areas of the country, and by the beginning of April, almost every state had recommended or ordered school-building closures. These closures suspended nearly all face-to-face instruction in public schools and forced educators across the country to rapidly shift to distance learning. Given the rapid creation and implementation of distance learning programs, policymakers and the public have raised concerns about the adequacy and equity of kindergarten through 12th grade educational responses. In addition to existing concerns surrounding summer learning loss, there is increased worry about the additional time students have spent out of school and how much instruction is provided in the distance learning format. This policy brief explores the guidance states issued during the COVID-19 pandemic related to third-grade reading policies and provides takeaways for how the current educational environment may impact their future.

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• Very few states issued guidance that specifically referenced their third-grade reading policy
• Few states addressed retention policies in COVID-19 guidance
• Literacy interventions were not widely addressed in states’ COVID-19 guidance