Nonprofit Mississippi News Mississippi’s third graders passed the reading exam required to progress to the next grade for the fourth year at a record rate. However, changes in the law could mean that those numbers will drop next year. The Mississippi Assessment Program English Language Arts test was passed by 93.2 percent of students this year — an increase of 1.2 percent over 2017. Students who fail to pass the Mississippi Assessment Program English Language Arts test on their first attempt have another chance over the summer, before being held back for one year. The Literacy-Based Promotion Act, commonly known as the “third-grade gate”, was passed by the Mississippi Legislature in 2013. It requires that all third-graders pass a reading test to determine if they are ready for the fourth grade. Students are currently required to achieve a level 2 out of 5, but the Mississippi Department of Education will make it mandatory that students attain a minimum level 3. Carey Wright, the state superintendent, has described level two as a low bar in recent years. More than 60 districts scored at least 95 percent on the exam this year, which means they were able to score a level 2 or higher. The Department of Education has preliminary data that shows 73.8 percent of students achieved a level 3 or higher. Click here to view the results for each district._x000D