Produced by the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, this report details information about why it is important for third graders in Erie County to be proficient in reading and math. Children below grade-level proficiency in third grade are much less likely to graduate from high school.Without mastering early reading and math skills, a child will fall further and further behind their peers. Without a high school degree, our children will face a future in which they are less likely to be able to support themselves through employment, and are more likely to live in poverty.