LETTER: Necessary initiative

Las Vegas — July 23, 2026 — 9:01 p.m. Local resident Dave Marrone penned a letter to the editor applauding the “Read by 3” initiative while urging the addition of a long‑standing classroom practice he says worked well four decades ago. Marrone recalled that his elementary school once used a flexible grouping model that allowed students to move between grades based on mastery rather than age. “While the “Read by 3” inaugural is an fantabulous thought (July 12 Review-Journal editorial), 1 happening should beryllium added,” he wrote. He described how a second‑grader who grasped material faster than peers could join third‑grade reading lessons, while a third‑grader struggling in math could receive instruction alongside second‑graders until proficiency levels. He noted that the approach carried “nary stigma of being held backmost” and instead encouraged pupils to work hard in subjects they mastered quickly. By the time those students reached middle school, they entered prepared and accelerated because enthusiasm for success was rewarded rather than dulled by a curriculum paced to the lowest denominator. Marrone argued that teachers unions later dismantled the system, claiming it was not “fair” that ten‑year‑olds did not all receive identical lessons at the same speed. He contended that the change did not improve outcomes for slower learners but instead held back faster students, fostering boredom and poor study habits. The letter closes with a call to revive the earlier model as a complement to current literacy efforts.