Recent revisions of the Florida School Code by the Florida Legislature include a major component focusing on proficiency in reading. In particular, grade 3 students who do not score at level 2 or higher on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) SSS Reading Test must be retained, unless exempted for special circumstances. This new requirement has resulted in the retention of thousands of 3rd graders in this district over the last two years. The impact on the lives of the students and their families is inestimable. Additionally, the restructuring of grade level membership has put considerable strain on the schools and the system as a whole. Clearly, any help in predicting which students may be in jeopardy of not "passing" the FCAT Reading test in 3rd grade would be a welcome contribution to providing targeted academic remediation to the students most in need. This study addresses an approach to the early identification of students who may be at risk of scoring at level 1 on their 3rd grade FCAT Reading Test.