Learning to read proficiently by the end of third grade is one of the best predictors of a student's later academic success. This policy brief analyzes school-level District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System (DC CAS) exam results, which are reported on a four-tiered scale: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced. Results found that: (1) Third grade reading proficiency did not improve for students in citywide between 2007 and 2014; (2) There was a statistically significant decline in reading scores for economically disadvantaged and black third graders; (3) Economically disadvantaged third graders attending high-poverty schools scored significantly worse on the reading assessment than those attending more economically integrated schools; and (4) Economically disadvantaged third graders in charter schools performed better at reading than those in DC public schools. Given the results of this analysis, District leaders must reexamine how resources are allocated and prioritized starting at birth. To fully support literacy development, they must ensure the city's early childhood and elementary programs are both comprehensive and evidenced-based so that all children can develop the skills they need to succeed in school. [This publication is an update to a 2012 report undertaken by the Elder Research Group on behalf of DC Action for Children.]