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Community initiative addresses 3rd grade reading crisis

In order for 3rd grade students in Indiana to advance to fourth grade, they are required to pass standardized tests.
Alex Slitz
/
AP Photo
In order for 3rd grade students in Indiana to advance to fourth grade, they are required to pass standardized tests.

Nearly 40% of third-graders in the South Bend Community School Corporation are at risk of being held back due to low scores on the state’s reading test. This alarming statistic has prompted local leaders to launch a new initiative aimed at addressing the third-grade reading crisis.

Andre Stoner, with the community organization We Make Indiana, emphasized that the issue extends beyond South Bend, affecting many school systems in high-poverty areas.

“This is a broader problem. School systems in high-poverty areas have had lower pass rates for the tests,” Stoner said.

A state law mandates that third graders must pass a standardized reading test or face retention. While summer school provides a second chance, Stoner believes the solution lies in offering support rather than punishment.

“We think that rather than punishing students, we should be providing support for them,” Stoner explained.

To provide this support, a tutoring initiative called Tutor ND has been launched, calling on community members to volunteer as reading tutors. The initiative aims to recruit 100 volunteers to help at-risk students.

“It’s a limited commitment, but it can be a really significant one in the life of a young person in our community,” Stoner said.

Local leaders will discuss the initiative and the growing need for community involvement during a press conference scheduled for Tuesday. The event will address the crisis and outline ways residents can help improve literacy in South Bend’s schools.

Mike Murrell joined the WVPE family in August of 2024. Mike is beginning his second career in journalism and broadcasting, since retiring from the Army after 20 years of service. Mike is originally from Dayton, Ohio, but calls Elkhart his home.