homework for third graders

3rd Grade Worksheets

• Kindergarten

442 3rd Grade Worksheets

10 times tables

This coloring math worksheet helps your third grader conceptualize counting and multiplying by 10.

2 pairs of feet

How many pairs of feet do you see? This coloring math worksheet introduces your third grader to multiplying by 2 with cute pictures of feet.

2 times tables

This coloring math worksheet helps your third grader conceptualize counting and multiplying by 2.

3 times tables

In this coloring math worksheet, your third grader gets practice counting by 3s and identifying number patterns.

This geometry math worksheet gives your child practice identifying each vertex in various 3-dimensional shapes.

3rd grade spelling words (list #1 of 36)

Welcome to the first of our weekly spelling lists for your third grader!

3rd grade spelling words (list #10 of 36)

Welcome to the 10th of our weekly spelling lists for your third grader!

3rd grade spelling words (list #11 of 36)

Welcome to the 11th of our weekly spelling lists for your third grader!

3rd grade spelling words (list #12 of 36)

Welcome to the 12th of our weekly spelling lists for your third grader!

3rd grade spelling words (list #13 of 36)

Welcome to the 13th of our weekly spelling lists for your third grader!

• Kindergarden

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Reading & Math for K-5

• Kindergarten
• Learning numbers
• Comparing numbers
• Place Value
• Roman numerals
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Order of operations
• Drills & practice
• Measurement
• Factoring & prime factors
• Proportions
• Shape & geometry
• Data & graphing
• Word problems
• Children's stories
• Leveled Stories
• Context clues
• Cause & effect
• Compare & contrast
• Fact vs. fiction
• Fact vs. opinion
• Main idea & details
• Story elements
• Conclusions & inferences
• Sounds & phonics
• Words & vocabulary
• Reading comprehension
• Early writing
• Numbers & counting
• Simple math
• Social skills
• Other activities
• Dolch sight words
• Fry sight words
• Multiple meaning words
• Prefixes & suffixes
• Vocabulary cards
• Other parts of speech
• Punctuation
• Capitalization
• Narrative writing
• Opinion writing
• Informative writing
• Cursive alphabet
• Cursive letters
• Cursive letter joins
• Cursive words
• Cursive sentences
• Cursive passages
• Grammar & Writing

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Third Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Grade 3 stories and exercises.

Use these free, printable worksheets to practice and improve reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing. Included are fiction and non-fiction passages at a grade 3 level.  All worksheets are pdf files.

Leveled stories & reading worksheets

These leveled stories worksheets are from our series of leveled reading workbooks .  Each successive level provides greater reading challenge. Reading exercises follow each story.

Children's stories

Free children's stories for third grade . Each passages isfollowed by 6 questions. These fiction and non-fiction texts are 350-450 words long.

These historical passages and fables are followed by comprehension questions.  Exercises involve recalling information directly from the text as well as concepts such as prediction, inference and character traits.

Reading comprehension exercises for grade 3

These grade 3 reading worksheets focus on specific comprehension topics such distinguishing fact from opinion and sequencing events.

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3rd grade reading & vocabulary

Unit 1: pets, unit 2: homes, unit 3: extreme environments.

• Number Charts
• Multiplication
• Long division
• Basic operations
• Telling time
• Place value
• Roman numerals
• Fractions & related
• Add, subtract, multiply,   and divide fractions
• Mixed numbers vs. fractions
• Equivalent fractions
• Prime factorization & factors
• Fraction Calculator
• Decimals & Percent
• Add, subtract, multiply,   and divide decimals
• Fractions to decimals
• Percents to decimals
• Percentage of a number
• Percent word problems
• Classify triangles
• Classify quadrilaterals
• Circle worksheets
• Area & perimeter of rectangles
• Area of triangles & polygons
• Coordinate grid, including   moves & reflections
• Volume & surface area
• Pre-algebra
• Square Roots
• Order of operations
• Scientific notation
• Proportions
• Ratio word problems
• Write expressions
• Evaluate expressions
• Simplify expressions
• Linear equations
• Linear inequalities
• Graphing & slope
• Equation calculator
• Equation editor
• Elementary Math Games
• Addition and subtraction
• Math facts practice
• The four operations
• Factoring and number theory
• Geometry topics
• Middle/High School
• Statistics & Graphs
• Probability
• Trigonometry
• Logic and proof
• For all levels
• Favorite math puzzles
• Favorite challenging puzzles
• Math in real world
• Problem solving & projects
• For gifted children
• Math history
• Math games and fun websites
• Interactive math tutorials
• Math help & online tutoring
• Assessment, review & test prep
• Online math curricula

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

The 3rd grade reading comprehension activities below are coordinated with the 3rd grade spelling words curriculum on a week-to-week basis, so both can be used together as part of a comprehensive program, or each part can be used separately. The worksheets include third grade appropriate reading passages and related questions. Each worksheet (as well as the spelling words ) also includes a cross-curricular focus on earth science, physical science, history, social sciences, mathematics and life sciences. This allows students to build their reading comprehension skills and reinforce knowledge in other subject areas. There are 36 weeks of third grade worksheets, following most standard school year calendars.

Be sure to check out all of our reading comprehension worksheets .

Adapting to Survive

Week 10 Reading Comprehension (C-10). A passage about how living things have certain adaptations that allow them to survive. Cross-Curricular Focus: Life Science.

An Independent Nation

Week 35 Reading Comprehension (C-35). Reading segment about the time leading up to U.S. Independence. Cross-Curricular Focus: History / Social Sciences.

Classifying Triangles

Week 17 Reading Comprehension (C-17). Passage and questions about equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles. Cross-Curricular Focus: Mathematics.

Community Connections

Week 26 Reading Comprehension (C-26). A passage about our communities and the interactions we have with other people. Cross-Curricular Focus: History / Social Sciences.

Competing for Resources

Week 13 Reading Comprehension (C-13). A reading passage that describes how plant and animals compete for limited resources. Cross-Curricular Focus: Life Science.

Converting Energy to Motion

Week 2 Reading Comprehension (C-2). A passage and questions about how energy can be stored and converted. Cross-Curricular Focus: Physical Science.

Displaying Data

Week 23 Reading Comprehension (C-23). A reading segment describing the use of data to make graphs. Cross-Curricular Focus: Mathematics.

Elements and Atoms

Week 7 Reading Comprehension (C-7). Reading passage describing the relationship between elements and atoms. Cross-Curricular Focus: Physical Science.

Week 25 Reading Comprehension (C-25). A passage and comprehension questions about using estimation on math problems Cross-Curricular Focus: Mathematics.

Evaluating in Math

Week 3 Reading Comprehension (C-3). A reading passage and questions about the meaning of “Evaluate” when it is used in mathematics. Cross-Curricular Focus: Mathematics.

Forms of Matter

Week 1 Reading Comprehension (C-1). A reading passage and comprehension questions about the different forms of matter. Cross-Curricular Focus: Physical Science.

Galileo and His Telescope

Week 19 Reading Comprehension (C-19). A story about the origins of Galileo’s telescope Cross-Curricular Focus: Physical Science.

Geometric Shape Names

Week 15 Reading Comprehension (C-15). A reading passage and questions about how geometric shape names use number prefixes. Cross-Curricular Focus: Mathematics.

Habitat Destruction

Week 12 Reading Comprehension (C-12). A short passage about human impact on plants and animals. Cross-Curricular Focus: Life Science.

In danger of Extinction

Week 14 Reading Comprehension (C-14). A passage about the Koala and how it faces possible extinction. Cross-Curricular Focus: Life Science.

Kinds of Angles

Week 18 Reading Comprehension (C-18). A description and comprehension questions about the different types of angles. Cross-Curricular Focus: Mathematics.

Location, Location, Location

Week 29 Reading Comprehension (C-29). A brief passage about a location’s resources, climate and terrain affect livability. Cross-Curricular Focus: History / Social Sciences.

Making Predictions

Week 22 Reading Comprehension (C-22). A comprehension passage about using predictions before reading. Cross-Curricular Focus: Study Skills.

National Symbols

Week 27 Reading Comprehension (C-27). Reading passage about our national symbols like the flag and bald eagle. Cross-Curricular Focus: History / Social Sciences.

Phases of the Moon

Week 16 Reading Comprehension (C-16). Reading comprehension passage about the different phases of the moon. Cross-Curricular Focus: Earth Science.

Third Grade Math Worksheets - Free PDF Printables with No Login

Addition (Basic)

Addition (Multi-Digit)

Algebra & Pre-Algebra

Comparing Numbers

Daily Math Review

Division (Basic)

Division (Long Division)

Hundreds Charts

Measurement

Multiplication (Basic)

Multiplication (Multi-Digit)

Order of Operations

Place Value

Probability

Skip Counting

Subtraction

Telling Time

Word Problems (Daily)

More Math Worksheets

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Gr. 1

Reading Comprehension Gr. 2

Reading Comprehension Gr. 3

Reading Comprehension Gr. 4

Reading Comprehension Gr. 5

Reading Comprehension Gr. 6

Reading & Writing

Reading Worksheets

Cause & Effect

Fact & Opinion

Fix the Sentences

Graphic Organizers

Synonyms & Antonyms

Writing Prompts

Writing Story Pictures

Writing Worksheets

More ELA Worksheets

Consonant Sounds

Vowel Sounds

Consonant Blends

Consonant Digraphs

Word Families

More Phonics Worksheets

Early Literacy

Build Sentences

Sight Word Units

Sight Words (Individual)

More Early Literacy

Punctuation

Subjects and Predicates

More Grammar Worksheets

Spelling Lists

Spelling Grade 1

Spelling Grade 2

Spelling Grade 3

Spelling Grade 4

Spelling Grade 5

Spelling Grade 6

More Spelling Worksheets

Chapter Books

Charlotte's Web

Magic Tree House #1

Boxcar Children

More Literacy Units

Animal (Vertebrate) Groups

Butterfly Life Cycle

Electricity

Matter (Solid, Liquid, Gas)

Simple Machines

Space - Solar System

More Science Worksheets

Social Studies

Maps (Geography)

Maps (Map Skills)

More Social Studies

Mother's Day

Father's Day

More Holiday Worksheets

Puzzles & Brain Teasers

Brain Teasers

Logic:  Addition Squares

Mystery Graph Pictures

Number Detective

Lost in the USA

More Thinking Puzzles

Teacher Helpers

Teaching Tools

Award Certificates

More Teacher Helpers

Pre-K and Kindergarten

Alphabet (ABCs)

Numbers and Counting

Shapes (Basic)

More Kindergarten

Worksheet Generator

Word Search Generator

Multiple Choice Generator

Fill-in-the-Blanks Generator

More Generator Tools

Full Website Index

3rd Grade Reading Comprehension

The printable reading comprehension worksheets listed below were created specially for students at a 3rd grade reading level. Each file includes a fiction or nonfiction reading passage, followed by a page of comprehension questions.

Fiction Stories

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Readers' Theater

Nonfiction articles, short passages, read aloud practice, reading comprehension files by grade:.

Reading comprehension passages specially written for students at a 1st grade level.

Reading comprehension stories, poems, and articles written at a 2nd grade reading level.

Reading comprehension passages written at a 4th grade reading level.

More advanced stories, poems, and articles written at a 5th grade reading level.

Literature circle role sheets, book bingo printables, book report forms, and other reading worksheets.

These nonfiction reading comprehension articles feature all types of animal species.  Read level: 3rd through 5th.

Comprehension Worksheet Images

PDF with answer key:

PDF no answer key:

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

50 Fun Earth Day Crafts and Activities 🌎!

Fantastic Websites, Games, and Learning Activities for Third Graders

So many amazing resources to tap into.

Third graders are curious, capable and eager to share their ideas. With that in mind, we’ve gathered together learning links and fun activities that will help kids build skills in literacy, math, science, and social studies—plus some just for fun! This list of third grade websites and activities is something kids can easily do at home with their families. 

Want more third grade websites and activities sent to your inbox every week? Sign up for the newsletter!

Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!

Language Arts Activities

Find stories about family, cultural identity, heroes, and more, in our list of 52 of favorite picks for third graders . 

And for free e-book options that you can download to your home device, check out this round-up of sources for free e-books . 

Most 3rd graders have vivid imaginations and love to share their ideas. Have your child choose from these awesome writing prompts to write daily in their journals. Some examples: What is your favorite time of day and why?, I am proud of myself because … , What is your dream vacation and why?

Listen to audiobooks.

Research shows that listening to fluent readers read aloud is one of the ways to build better readers. And lucky for us, many of our favorite authors are offering online read-alouds and activities on social media. Some of the big names include Mac Barnett, Oliver Jeffers, and Peter Reynolds. For more, check out our  Big List of Children’s Authors Doing Online Read-Alouds and Activities.

In addition,  Audible is offering free audiobooks  for kids during school closures.

Make a new friend.

It’s easier than ever in today’s virtual world to make a friend across the globe. Having a pen pal helps kids cultivate a global perspective and raises their global awareness. Check out these resources that help connect kids around the world.

Do word work activities.

Check out the website IXL for word work activities appropriate for 3rd graders. There are a variety of activities, from reading and writing strategies to vocabulary, grammar, and more. 

Math Activities

 play math games..

Hands-on activities are an excellent way to practice and gain a deeper understanding of math concepts. Check out these fun ideas: Dominoes Multiplication , Roll and Race Division , and Fraction Match . For more ideas, click here . 

Learn card games.

An ordinary deck of playing cards can provide many ways for kids to practice math skills. You can use them for understanding the concept of Pi ( Race to Pi ), order of operations ( Make 24 ), or multiplication fact families ( Math Magic Trick ). 

Read books about math. 

Storybooks are a great way to introduce and reinforce math concepts. Learn all about fractions with this book, Fractions in Disguise by Edward Einhorn.  For more titles, check out our list of  Picture Books About Math . 

Have fun with area and perimeter.

From making mosaic art work and using snack foods to building a city , there are loads of ways to learn the concepts of area and perimeter. For a round-up of our favorite ideas,  click here . 

Practice skills the old fashioned way. 

While hands-on learning and math games are great ways to learn math, there is also a place for worksheets to give kids practice working independently. For a free packet of standards-based, printable math problems from EdHelper, follow this link . 

Science Activities

Tap into nat geo learn at home . .

National Geographic has been a trusted source for learning about the world around us since 1888. Their website is a treasure trove of information on topics such as Biology, Ecology, Conservation, Earth Science, Climatology, Meteorology, Oceanography, Geography, and Physical Geography. Check out their free collection of third grade content including Seals vs. Sea Lions , Mapping World Heritage ,   Intro to Earth Day and more. 

Learn about the life cycle.

An important part of the third grade science curriculum is studying life cycles. From videos and hands-on experiments to blog posts, here are 10 creative ways to learn about this fascinating topic. 

Make friends with a giraffe.

Tune in to meet April and her son, Tajiri, at the Animal Adventure Park Giraffe Yard. For our complete list of nature webcams, click here . 

Do experiments.

Make a DIY star projector , explore static electricity or build a better umbrella . These are just a few of the fun and engaging activities in our collection of 35 Hands-On Third Grade Science Activities.

Explore a science collection curated just for third graders. 

Create a free account on PBS Learning Media and get access to images, videos, and interactive lessons on the topics of life science, physical science, earth, space science, and more.   

Social Studies Activities

Watch brainpop videos, for free .

Brainpop is offering free access for families impacted by school closures. It is an amazing resource that offers fun, engaging videos, games, and quizzes across the curriculum. Laugh and learn with Tim and Moby as you learn about Economics , U.S. Government , Cultures, and more. 

Let Ben Franklin be your guide. 

Check out Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government , a fun interactive website where kids can learn about topics like branches of government , how laws are made , and all about the election process . In addition, you’ll find quizzes, crosswords, word search puzzles, and fun video games like Place the States.

Read about current events. 

Time Magazine for Kids offers news articles about many topics, including the country, the world, animals. and trends in schools.

Go on a virtual field trip . 

Travel to the birthplace of music , visit Colonial Williamsburg , or walk along the Great Wall of China . For more, head over to our complete list of virtual field trips.

Check out social studies websites .

We’ve compiled a big list of over 40 of the best social studies websites. Get lesson plans, take virtual museum tours, and head out on field trips.  Find out how to subscribe to StudiesWeekly, tour the National Gallery of Art , or learn all about kids’ right to safety .

Just for Fun Activities

Compete in timed challenges..

Hold a family game night and compete with Minute to Win It challenges such as ping pong toss, cookie face, and nut stacker.

Make paper airplanes.

Kids seem to have an endless fascination with folding paper into airplanes. Check out this fun video,  5 Easy Paper Airplanes that Fly Far! to learn some new techniques. 

Crack each other up. 

Third graders have an amazing sense of humor and love jokes, riddles, and brain teasers. Fuel their comedic interest with these 81 Funniest Knock Knock Jokes from Fatherly. 

One awesome thing about learning from home is there is more time to work on creative projects. Check out  40 Art Projects for Kids including string art , rainbow geometry painting , and recycled water bottle garden art . 

Bake up a batch of fun. 

Baking is a great way to practice math skills and learn how to follow procedures. It’s also a great way to bond with our kids. Try some of these delicious recipes from Delish :  Owl Cupcakes , Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites ,and  Strawberry Shortcake Lasagna.

What are your favorite third grade websites and activities? Please share in the comments! 

Plus, don’t forget to  sign up for our weekly emails  to receive more ideas!

Help your kids burn off some of their (abundant!) energy with our Virtual P.E. Resources to Keep Kids Moving at Home . 

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40+ Best Reading Websites for Home and Classroom Learning

Games, e-books, videos, and so much more! Continue Reading

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Homework and the Third-Grader

If your son has a problem with his homework, teach him to reread the directions and study any examples of how the work is to be done. If this is not sufficient help, advise him to study textbook explanations of the assignment. Do not jump in to help him until he has taken these steps, and you will have given your son a valuable study skill.

You are right to be concerned about teaching your child good study habits. Schools don't always teach children how to handle their work. Here are some suggestions for you:

• Have your child use an assignment notebook so he knows what homework is required each day.
• Introduce a planning calendar and show your son how to use it when he begins to have long-term assignments.
• Help your child learn how to organize his study time. Each day he should preview the assignments that he has to do and get the tough tasks out of the way first. He should write down the order in which he will do assignments.
• Teach your child to review his work frequently.
• Get your child an organizer, and show him how to use it so that he has a system for organizing all his school papers.
• Have your child use a book bag to transport books and papers.
• Encourage your child to establish a regular time for doing homework.
• Your son should keep old quizzes and tests to prepare for future tests.
• Eliminate distractions such as phone calls and television during homework time.
• Establish a regular place for doing homework. One book that will give you insight into homework and teaching study skills to your child is How To Help Your Child With Homework published by Free Spirit Publishing.

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Erie 3rd-grade reading scores are improving as 'marathon' toward proficiency continues

Reading scores for Erie third-graders are improving.

And that's good news for their future prospects in school and beyond.

Third grade is a kind of watershed year in education. Through third grade, children are learning to read. After that, they are reading to learn — about math, science, history, geography and other subjects, according to the Children's Reading Foundation , a national nonprofit dedicated to helping children read well.

"Reading is the most crucial academic skill because it is the foundation for learning," according to the reading foundation.

Children struggling to read after third grade might face significant hurdles ahead, in school and even in later life. They're almost six times more likely than proficient readers to drop out or not finish high school on time, according to a landmark multi-year study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 2011.

Researchers found that 23% of children reading at below-basic proficiency in third grade failed to graduate with their peers, compared to 9% of children with basic reading skills and 4% of proficient readers.

And that can translate to lower earnings as adults.

How Erie third-graders scored

Students' reading skills are ranked as below-basic, basic, proficient or advanced based on their scores in the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment English language arts test given in third through eighth grade.

In 2022-2023 testing, 34.6% of Erie third-graders scored below-basic standards for reading proficiency, according to data presented to Erie school directors in September.

About 42% scored in the basic range.

Twenty-two percent scored as proficient.

Just over 1% scored as advanced.

Numbers on the rise

The scores aren't great. But the numbers are improving with fewer students scoring below basic and advancing toward proficiency in recent years:

Below-basic

• 34.6% in 2022-23
• 40.4% in 2021-22
• 41.4% in 2020-21
• 41.9% in 2022-23
• 40.5% in 2021-22
• 37.9% in 2020-21
• 22.1% in 2022-23
• 18% in 2021-22
• 18.9% in 2020-21
• 1.4% in 2022-23
• 1.1% in 2021-22
• 1.8% in 2020-21

"We've seen pretty nice shifts and growth in that third-grade group and are seeing significant gains in kids moving from below-basic into basic," said Karin Ryan, Erie School District's director of educational services. "And obviously we want kids in the basic range to move into proficient and advanced."

It won't be accomplished overnight.

"It's like a marathon," Ryan said. "You're not going to finish a marathon just by lacing up your shoes and taking a lap or two around the block. Racing 26 miles isn't that easy. It's kind of the same thing with schooling and (proficient) test scores."

Pandemic effect may linger

While third-grade reading scores are improving, they haven't rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

Thirty-four percent of Erie third-graders were proficient or advanced readers in 2018-29, before COVID-19 required the shift to remote learning. At the other end of the scale, fewer students, 29.9%, scored below-basic in reading proficiency compared to later years.

Last year's third-graders were in kindergarten when the pandemic began and may have been the most adversely affected by interrupted learning.

"During the pandemic, one of the things that was the most difficult for educators across the country was teaching children how to read," Ryan said.

"Last year's third-graders were out of school part of their kindergarten year, had a wonky first-grade year when they were back in school and then out again, and then were finally back in second grade. They had a lot of interrupted learning, and yet they're starting to make these gains."

What's being done to help kids: Curriculum and training

Just before the pandemic, Erie School District approved a new core curriculum based on the "science of reading," or worldwide research on how we learn to read.

Erie teachers and administrators were trained in the science of reading, also called structured literacy.

"We've been working really hard, not just to get these materials in front of our teachers and leaders but for them to understand how the brain learns to read," Ryan said.

Instruction focuses on sounding out and recognizing words and coupling that with instruction in language comprehension — the background knowledge and vocabulary needed to make sense of words.

"They're two strands of the rope that have to come together to make proficient readers," Ryan said. "There's the phonics or word recognition strand and the language comprehension strand of building a robust vocabulary, knowledge and background.

"You need both strands for proficient reading," Ryan said. "If I can't recognize words, if I can't pull words from a page, it doesn't matter how much knowledge and background I have. And if I can pull words from a page but don't have any glue for them to stick to, my comprehension is going to be poor."

K-2 students work on sounding out and recognizing words for an hour each day. For another hour, they learn about Egypt, pyramids and ancient civilizations, for instance, to increase their knowledge and vocabulary. In third grade, children weave the strands of learning together in a two-hour block of literacy instruction.

The district is ahead of the curve on the new approach. The Pennsylvania Legislature last year mandated structured literacy training within three years for all educators involved in teaching students to read. The law also requires colleges and universities to teach structured literacy to education students.

Focused after-school and summer programs

New in the Erie School District last school year were after-school and summer school programs geared for children struggling to read.

"We re-evaluated our after-school programs and our summer programming," Ryan said. "What we chose to do is gear them for kids that are not reading at grade level and also to be more strategic in recruiting the kids who need the programming the most.

"It was no longer, hey, if you want to come, come."

The "Anchor" after-school program, offered Tuesday through Thursday from 2:45 to 5 p.m., included 45 minutes of small-group instruction in word recognition and language comprehension coordinated to the lessons that children were working on in school.

"If they were learning about pyramids in school, after-school readings had to do with pyramids so that they were getting more vocabulary and background knowledge," said Holly Northrup. Northrup and Melanie Miller are supervisors of elementary content for Erie's 10 elementary schools.

After-school sessions also included programs and activities, including visits by planetarium and children's museum staff, to help children boost their vocabulary and comprehension.

The six-week "Sail" summer program held Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at all 10 Erie elementary schools also provided word recognition and language comprehension instruction as well as enrichment activities.

And as in the after-school program, students were rewarded for attending.

"Especially through the summer, a lot of things can be enticing to families, so we had the extra challenge of how to get children to our buildings every day," said Miller. "And so we built in student and also family incentives in appreciation for parents who got their children to the program every day."

Incentives included bookbags, T-shirts, water bottles, and Erie Zoo and Splash Lagoon tickets. Field trips, including outings to the zoo, Presque Isle, a roller rink and bowling alley, also encouraged students to attend the non-mandatory summer session.

"We can do programming until the cows come home, but if kids don't attend they're not going to be as successful," Ryan said.

What parents can do to help

Parents can help children sound out and recognize words and improve their language comprehension by reading to and with their kids.

Imagination Libraries at most schools provide free books that parents and children can read at home.

Erie families also have access to grade-appropriate books through a CKLA Hub on the children's school laptops. Individualized "Boost" programs to help children improve reading skills are also available on the laptops.

Parents of K-5 students will be able to see how their children are performing when results of benchmark literacy assessments are sent home three times through the school year.

"Parents should expect reports to come home from school on their child's individual reading progress," Ryan said. "When parents get the reports, they should contact their child's teacher for more information and actionable ideas on how they can help their kids."

Results of the first assessment are expected to be sent home to parents by the end of September.

The most recent state data for other districts

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has not yet finalized PSSA test results statewide for 2022-23 and is still collecting data, according to a department spokesperson.

In 2021-22, the most recent results finalized by the Department of Education, here's how third-graders in other Erie County school Districts scored in reading. In districts with more than one elementary school, individual school scores were added and averaged to find district-wide scores. Scores were rounded to the nearest whole number.

• Below basic: 24%
• Proficient: 43%
• Advanced: 5%
• Below basic: 7%
• Proficient: 51%
• Advanced: 18%

Fort LeBoeuf

• Below basic: 6%
• Proficient: 52%
• Advanced: 22%

General McLane

• Proficient: 53%
• Advanced: 15%
• Below basic: 13%
• Proficient: 48%
• Advanced: 13%

Harbor Creek

• Below basic: 9%
• Advanced: 19%
• Below basic: 22%
• Proficient: 37%
• Advanced: 10%

Millcreek Township

• Below basic: 8%
• Proficient: 47%
• Advanced: 17%

Northwestern

• Below basic: 10%
• Proficient: 38%

Union City Area

• Below basic: 15%
• Proficient: 49%
• Advanced: 14%

Wattsburg Area

• Below basic: 18%
• Proficient: 41%
• Advanced: 12%

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Contact Valerie Myers at [email protected] .

TCAP testing started today. Here's the reality for students after tweaks to the retention law.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A big day for public school students as the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program or TCAP testing got underway this morning.

Third and fourth graders have the most at stake after the legislature passed the 3rd grade retention law in 2021. The goal is to make up for pandemic learning loss, but here's the reality after a number of tweaks to the state plan in the last two years.

If a third grader does not score at grade level on the English Language Arts portion of the standardized test, there are a number of hoops to jump through to get to the fourth grade including summer school and tutoring.

Meanwhile, last year's third graders who fell into this "retention group" are still feeling the effects of this law: if they don't show enough growth year over year, they will be held back. About 12-thousand fourth graders are at risk statewide .

I know there is a lot of information to sort through — I'm a parent in the middle of this, too. I found this helpful image from the Tennessee Department of Education mapping out pathways to promotion for third and fourth graders:

My colleague Emily West also has an in-depth look at these retention changes , and even broke down the proposed formula on what your student would need to score to move on to fifth grade.

Retention changes: Will Tennessee lawmakers update reading law?

Parents, Tennessee fourth grade requirements for TCAP are finally in place

At risk of repeating fourth grade, this family seeks out options for fifth grade

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Tennessee reading law: Bill that would hold back fewer fourth graders still in limbo

A Tennessee bill that could curb how many fourth graders are held back under a state reading law remains in limbo over a disagreement between the House and Senate.

The reading law requires third graders who fall short on state reading benchmarks to meet exemption standards, pass on a retake, enroll in summer school or win an appeal. Additionally, students who score as "approaching" proficiency could also enroll in tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade — something around 12,000 students chose for the current school year.

But if those fourth graders do not pass the English language arts section of Tennessee's standardized test or hit an individualized growth goal set by the state, the law requires them to be held back. The Tennessee Department of Education projected that up to 6,000 fourth graders may be retained if nothing changes.

What to know: How Tennessee reading law affects third, fourth graders

The proposed bill seeks to put that decision back into the hands of schools and parents, with tutoring requirements if the child moves on to fifth grade. The House version also adds a reading screener test as a second benchmark to consider in retention decisions, along with a summer school option.

While the measure has drawn wide bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, lawmakers can't agree on the exact terms of the bill.

The bill is set to go before the Senate again on Monday. If the Senate refuses to recede on its position, the bill will likely go to a conference committee where lawmakers will attempt to reconcile their differences over the measure. With the end of the session nearing and several other high-profile bills at play , it's not clear if the two chambers will negotiate a deal.

The disagreement comes as standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests are being administered for grades 3-5 statewide.

Haley Eason, a Williamson County mother whose 11-year-old daughter Myleigh is in fourth grade, said the wait is excruciating as her daughter takes her TCAP this week. She said her daughter is a straight-A student but has struggled on the test, which put her at risk of retention last year. They opted for tutoring. Now Myleigh is facing the risk of retention once again.

"I just don't understand when everyone pretty much seems like they are for a change, and we keep going back and forth," Eason said Wednesday. "I'm just really frustrated."

Key K-12 bills to watch in 2024: Tennessee lawmakers take on education

Where the House and Senate disagree

Both the House and Senate versions of the bill leave retention decisions up to school leaders and parents or legal guardians and include language on tutoring in fifth grade. A district or public charter school must call a conference with the student's parent or guardian, English language arts teacher and school principal to determine one of the following things:

• Promote the child to fifth grade with interventions and academic supports in place, including tutoring
• Retain the child in fourth grade

But a Senate amendment by Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, limits the measure to only two years, meaning this year's fourth graders and those in fourth grade in the 2024-25 school year would benefit from it. He said the intent was to focus on children whose early schooling was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. That means the original version of the reading law would go back into effect for the 2025-26 school year.

Lundberg has voiced opposition to the measure in the past, and ultimately voted against it Wednesday, even though his amendment passed.

That amendment was one of the reasons House sponsor Rep. Gary Hicks, R-Rogersville, ultimately rejected the Senate version of the bill Thursday. He also cited the following disparities in the Senate bill:

• No consideration of a reading screening test as an additional benchmark in retention decisions
• No choice for parents between summer school and tutoring for their child to avoid retention
• The high cost attached to using TNAllCorps tutoring for fifth graders

Children cannot be retained in fourth grade more than once, according to the reading law.

See how TN measure third grade reading: Try a TCAP practice test

What's next for Tennessee third, fourth graders

TCAPs kicked off April 15 for grades 3-5 and will conclude by April 30. Exact testing dates vary by district.

Scores are typically released in two waves over the summer and early fall each year. However, the Tennessee Department of Education will release some scores and data early for third and fourth graders affected by the reading law.

English language arts scores for third graders will be released to districts on May 20 and growth data for fourth graders will be released by July 1. It will be up to districts to relay information to parents and legal guardians.

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Poland’s kids rejoice over new rules against homework. Teachers and parents aren’t so sure

Ola Kozak, 11, sits at the table where she used to do her homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday April 5, 2024. Ola is happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. Julian enjoyed doing his homework. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Arkadiusz Korporowicz teaches history to 5th grade children at Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Pawel Kozak and his wife Magda Kozak, parents of three, stand at their home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. They have different opinions on the decision by Poland’s government that ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Children enter a classroom at the Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Julian Kozak, 9, sits at the table where he used to do his homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday April 5, 2024. Julian is not very happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Ola Kozak, 11, right, and her younger brother Julian Kozak, 9, sit at the table where they used to do their homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday April 5, 2024. Ola is happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. Julian enjoyed doing his homework. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Poland’s Education Minister Barbara Nowacka announces restrictions on the amount of homework for primary school children, at school number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Opinions are divided on what results can be expected from the strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Pawel Kozak, father of three, speaks at his home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Pawel and her wife Magda have different opinions on the decision by Poland’s government that ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Magda Kozak, mother of three, stands at her home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Magda and her husband Pawel have different opinions on the decision by Poland’s government that ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Julian Kozak, 9, sits at the table where he used to do his homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Julian is not very happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Magda Kozak, right, spends time with her son Julian, 9, at their home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Neither of them is happy that starting in April, Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Children walk in the corridor of Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Children with flowers wait for the arrival of Education Minister Barbara Nowacka at Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Julian Kozak, 9, plays with his cat at their home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Starting in April, Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Ola Kozak is celebrating. The 11-year-old, who loves music and drawing, expects to have more free time for her hobbies after Poland’s government ordered strict limits on the amount of homework in the lower grades.

“I am happy,” said the fifth grader, who lives in a Warsaw suburb with her parents and younger siblings. The lilac-colored walls in her bedroom are covered in her art, and on her desk she keeps a framed picture she drew of Kurt Cobain.

“Most people in my class in the morning would copy the work off someone who had done the homework or would copy it from the internet. So it didn’t make sense,” she said.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk enacted the ban against required homework this month amid a broad discussion about the need to modernize Poland’s education system, which critics say puts too much emphasis on rote learning and homework, and not enough on critical thinking and creativity.

Under the decree, teachers are no longer to give required homework to kids in the first to third grades. In grades four to eight, homework is now optional and doesn’t count towards a grade.

Not everyone likes the change – and even Ola’s parents are divided.

“If there is something that will make students enjoy school more, then it will probably be good both for the students and for the school,” said her father, Pawel Kozak.

His wife, Magda Kozak, was skeptical. “I am not pleased, because (homework) is a way to consolidate what was learned,” she said. “It helps stay on top of what the child has really learned and what’s going on at school.”

(Ola’s brother Julian, a third grader, says he sees both sides.)

Debates over the proper amount of homework are common around the globe. While some studies have shown little benefit to homework for young learners, other experts say it can help them learn how to develop study habits and academic concepts.

Poland’s educational system has undergone a number of controversial overhauls. Almost every new government has tried to make changes — something many teachers and parents say has left them confused and discouraged. For example, after communism was thrown off, middle schools were introduced. Then under the last government, the previous system was brought back. More controversy came in recent years when ultra-conservative views were pushed in new textbooks.

For years, teachers have been fleeing the system due to low wages and political pressure. The current government is trying to increase teacher salaries and has promised other changes that teachers approve of.

But Sławomir Broniarz, the head of the Polish Teachers’ Union, said that while he recognized the need to ease burdens on students, the new homework rules are another case of change imposed from above without adequate consultation with educators.

“In general, the teachers think that this happened too quickly, too hastily,” he said.

He argued that removing homework could widen the educational gaps between kids who have strong support at home and those from poorer families with less support and lower expectations. Instead, he urged wider changes to the entire curriculum.

The homework rules gained impetus in the runup to parliamentary elections last year, when a 14-year-old boy, Maciek Matuszewski, stood up at a campaign rally and told Tusk before a national audience that children “had no time to rest.” The boy said their rights were being violated with so much homework on weekends and so many tests on Mondays.

Tusk has since featured Matuszewski in social media videos and made him the face of the sudden change.

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said she was prompted by research on children’s mental health. Of the various stresses children face, she said, “the one that could be removed fastest was the burden of homework.”

Pasi Sahlberg, a prominent Finnish educator and author, said the value of homework depends on what it is and how it is linked to overall learning. The need for homework can be “very individual and contextual.”

“We need to trust our teachers to decide what is good for each child,” Sahlberg said.

In South Korea, homework limits were set for elementary schools in 2017 amid concerns that kids were under too much pressure. However, teenagers in the education-obsessed country often cram long into the night and get tutoring to meet the requirements of demanding school and university admission tests.

In the U.S., teachers and parents decide for themselves how much homework to assign. Some elementary schools have done away with homework entirely to give children more time to play, participate in activities and spend time with families.

A guideline circulated by teachers unions in the U.S. recommends about 10 minutes of homework per grade. So, 10 minutes in first grade, 20 minutes in second grade and so on.

The COVID-19 pandemic and a crisis around youth mental health have complicated debates around homework. In the U.S., extended school closures in some places were accompanied by steep losses in learning , which were often addressed with tutoring and other interventions paid for with federal pandemic relief money. At the same time, increased attention to student wellbeing led some teachers to consider alternate approaches including reduced or optional homework.

It’s important for children to learn that mastering something “usually requires practice, a lot of practice,” said Sahlberg, in Finland. If reducing homework leads kids and parents to think school expectations for excellence will be lowered, “things will go wrong.”

AP writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed.

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Mental health and the pandemic: What U.S. surveys have found

The coronavirus pandemic has been associated with worsening mental health among people in the United States and around the world . In the U.S, the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 caused widespread lockdowns and disruptions in daily life while triggering a short but severe economic recession that resulted in widespread unemployment. Three years later, Americans have largely returned to normal activities, but challenges with mental health remain.

Here’s a look at what surveys by Pew Research Center and other organizations have found about Americans’ mental health during the pandemic. These findings reflect a snapshot in time, and it’s possible that attitudes and experiences may have changed since these surveys were fielded. It’s also important to note that concerns about mental health were common in the U.S. long before the arrival of COVID-19 .

Three years into the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States , Pew Research Center published this collection of survey findings about Americans’ challenges with mental health during the pandemic. All findings are previously published. Methodological information about each survey cited here, including the sample sizes and field dates, can be found by following the links in the text.

The research behind the first item in this analysis, examining Americans’ experiences with psychological distress, benefited from the advice and counsel of the COVID-19 and mental health measurement group at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

At least four-in-ten U.S. adults (41%) have experienced high levels of psychological distress at some point during the pandemic, according to four Pew Research Center surveys conducted between March 2020 and September 2022.

Young adults are especially likely to have faced high levels of psychological distress since the COVID-19 outbreak began: 58% of Americans ages 18 to 29 fall into this category, based on their answers in at least one of these four surveys.

Women are much more likely than men to have experienced high psychological distress (48% vs. 32%), as are people in lower-income households (53%) when compared with those in middle-income (38%) or upper-income (30%) households.

In addition, roughly two-thirds (66%) of adults who have a disability or health condition that prevents them from participating fully in work, school, housework or other activities have experienced a high level of distress during the pandemic.

The Center measured Americans’ psychological distress by asking them a series of five questions on subjects including loneliness, anxiety and trouble sleeping in the past week. The questions are not a clinical measure, nor a diagnostic tool. Instead, they describe people’s emotional experiences during the week before being surveyed.

While these questions did not ask specifically about the pandemic, a sixth question did, inquiring whether respondents had “had physical reactions, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea, or a pounding heart” when thinking about their experience with the coronavirus outbreak. In September 2022, the most recent time this question was asked, 14% of Americans said they’d experienced this at least some or a little of the time in the past seven days.

More than a third of high school students have reported mental health challenges during the pandemic. In a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from January to June 2021, 37% of students at public and private high schools said their mental health was not good most or all of the time during the pandemic. That included roughly half of girls (49%) and about a quarter of boys (24%).

In the same survey, an even larger share of high school students (44%) said that at some point during the previous 12 months, they had felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row – to the point where they had stopped doing some usual activities. Roughly six-in-ten high school girls (57%) said this, as did 31% of boys.

On both questions, high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, other or questioning were far more likely than heterosexual students to report negative experiences related to their mental health.

Mental health tops the list of worries that U.S. parents express about their kids’ well-being, according to a fall 2022 Pew Research Center survey of parents with children younger than 18. In that survey, four-in-ten U.S. parents said they’re extremely or very worried about their children struggling with anxiety or depression. That was greater than the share of parents who expressed high levels of concern over seven other dangers asked about.

While the fall 2022 survey was fielded amid the coronavirus outbreak, it did not ask about parental worries in the specific context of the pandemic. It’s also important to note that parental concerns about their kids struggling with anxiety and depression were common long before the pandemic, too . (Due to changes in question wording, the results from the fall 2022 survey of parents are not directly comparable with those from an earlier Center survey of parents, conducted in 2015.)

Among parents of teenagers, roughly three-in-ten (28%) are extremely or very worried that their teen’s use of social media could lead to problems with anxiety or depression, according to a spring 2022 survey of parents with children ages 13 to 17 . Parents of teen girls were more likely than parents of teen boys to be extremely or very worried on this front (32% vs. 24%). And Hispanic parents (37%) were more likely than those who are Black or White (26% each) to express a great deal of concern about this. (There were not enough Asian American parents in the sample to analyze separately. This survey also did not ask about parental concerns specifically in the context of the pandemic.)

Looking back, many K-12 parents say the first year of the coronavirus pandemic had a negative effect on their children’s emotional health. In a fall 2022 survey of parents with K-12 children , 48% said the first year of the pandemic had a very or somewhat negative impact on their children’s emotional well-being, while 39% said it had neither a positive nor negative effect. A small share of parents (7%) said the first year of the pandemic had a very or somewhat positive effect in this regard.

White parents and those from upper-income households were especially likely to say the first year of the pandemic had a negative emotional impact on their K-12 children.

While around half of K-12 parents said the first year of the pandemic had a negative emotional impact on their kids, a larger share (61%) said it had a negative effect on their children’s education.

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How Americans View the Coronavirus, COVID-19 Vaccines Amid Declining Levels of Concern

Online religious services appeal to many americans, but going in person remains more popular, about a third of u.s. workers who can work from home now do so all the time, how the pandemic has affected attendance at u.s. religious services, economy remains the public’s top policy priority; covid-19 concerns decline again, most popular.

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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