Third grade students could be held back due to reading scores - Hometownstations.com-WLIO- Lima, OH News Weather Sports

Third grade students could be held back due to reading scores

Thousands of third graders in Ohio could be held back because of low reading scores after a new state mandate.

The state Board of Education set the new standard during its meeting on Tuesday. The mandate calls for third grade students to have a score of at least 392 out of 500 on assessment tests to move on to the fourth grade.

Ohio lawmakers approved the third grade mandate last summer. Students could be held back starting after the 2013-2014 school year.  However, new school policies outlined by the mandate must be put into place by the end of this month.

Schools won't be given extra funds to implement the new requirements. However, Lima City Schools Superintendent, Jill Ackerman, says the district could use some federal funding to boost after school educational programs.