In two weeks, parents in Knox County will know if their children are at risk of having to repeat the third or fourth-grade because of new state reading requirements.
Under the state’s new Third-Grade Retention Law, third-graders who fail to show reading proficiency on state tests have to undergo either summer school or summer school and tutoring during their fourth-grade year to advance. Additionally, fourth-graders impacted by the law last year have to show “adequate growth” on state testing this year to be promoted to fifth-grade.
Knox County Schools Executive Director of Learning and Literacy Erin Phillips told school board members Monday night that the district plans to inform parents of third and fourth-graders who don’t meet the necessary threshold the week of May 20. Those children will have the option of retaking state assessments for another opportunity to advance May 22 through May 24.
Lawmakers passed legislation last year that’s in place this year to reduce the number of third-graders impacted by the law. The General Assembly additionally passed legislation last month that could help many of those fourth-graders advance if there’s agreement from all parties in a conference with parents, teachers, and the school principal. That legislation still needs to be signed by Governor Lee before it’s an option for families.
In the meantime, Philips told board members it’s the district’s responsibility to support students and make sure parents know kids who are struggling to meet these thresholds are not failing to learn how to read.
“Once students enter Knox County Schools, it’s our job to think about how do we prepare students to promote annually to the next grade level,” said Phillips. “One of the common myths that’s out there is if a student score is in the “below” or “approaching” (proficiency) category (on state tests), they cannot read. That’s a myth. I want us all to stand firmly in that knowledge. We have students who score “below” and “approaching” who are readers. Who can read the words on the page of a complex third-grade test. So let’s debunk the myth that student who scoring below and approaching can’t read.”
Some third-graders may qualify to appeal their retention based on a number of factors, including experiencing a catastrophic event within 60 days of taking the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) test.
