Read-to-Achieve

State Guidelines for the Grade 3 Student Reading Portfolio

• The portfolio measures the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.  Working on the portfolio may not be appropriate for all students.  During the school year, teachers administer portfolio passages to select

students who have an appropriate developmental reading level for the understanding and application of grade-level standards.

• The portfolio passages measure the (NCSCOS) Third-Grade Assessed Reading Standards. It consists of a series of passages, based on third-grade reading standards, with accompanying questions in a multiple-choice format. 

• The purpose of the portfolio is to gather information on a student’s reading proficiency over a period of time;

therefore, the student completes passages at various times throughout the year rather than within a particular timeframe.  

• For the portfolio to be considered complete, it must contain evidence of proficiency in each of the eleven standards. For each standard, students must have three selections that, when combined, equal an average score of seventy percent or higher. A student’s portfolio must include all passages attempted. 

General Statute § 115C-83.3(8) states that “a single piece of evidence may show mastery of up to two standards.” 

The Grade 3 Student Reading Portfolio includes a limited number of selections that may be combined to show mastery of two standards. The titles of these selections are listed on the Student Score Summary Sheets found in the Grade 3 Student Reading Portfolio.

• Third  grade students will work on  the portfolio passages as appropriate based on data and need (adhere to the guidelines in the RTA Implementation Booklet - such as scheduled time for implementation, no more than 2 passages a week, kept secure, and must be kept at school, etc). 

• Teachers should review the RTA passages with students after it is administered to students - this is a great teaching opportunity and provides feedback to students in small group settings. It provides an opportunity to model strategies taught in class. 

• Schools will take the assessments by paper and pencil (students will have a paper copy of the passage in order to use strategies). Teachers score the assessments by hand.  Copies of passages will be picked up at the Testing Office.  The AP (Testing Coordinator for your school) will make copies as needed.

• Portfolio passages must be kept secure.  The instructional or the assessment passages cannot go home. 

• Teachers must maintain the status summary spreadsheet that indicates how students are performing on each standard. 

• For students who did not make a pathway, please send the portfolio summary sheet and folder to the 4th grade teacher to continue working during the 4th grade year.

• Shredding Portfolio Folders- 

  • Portfolios for students who demonstrated proficiency in third grade due to BOG, EOG test/retest, RTA test/retest, mClass level, or are a Good Cause Exemption and are now in 4th grade for the 2024-2025 school year may be shredded now. 

• • However, the portfolios of third grade students who passed with the portfolio process only and are now going into fourth grade should have their portfolios maintained until at least November.  

• Shredding - any used Instructional passages can be shredded now or can follow any students going into fourth grade. (Fourth grade teachers may want to use them with students during small groups or intervention time.) 

• Never send home RTA materials

• Teachers are to keep a folder to house all assessment materials for each student working on a portfolio.

• The district will provide instructional passages in booklets for teacher classroom instruction.  The booklets need to be shredded after use.  

Keeping Parents Informed

• All schools will host a Read-to-Achieve Parent Night for Parents the first 30 days of school.   A Google Doc will be sent by the district for the specific date.