Fourth-grade retention debate a possibility when lawmakers return to Nashville

When Tennessee lawmakers return to Nashville from this week’s snow delay, fourth-grade retention may very well succeed last year’s heated debate over third-grade retention.Last Wednesday’s discussion in the Senate Education Committee with new Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Lizette Reynolds brought a preview of what that debate may look like.Under the Third-Grade Retention Law, third-grade students who fail to score proficient in English language arts on state testing can advance to the fourth grade by attending summer school and demonstrating adequate growth on a test.Most students who took summer school last year failed to show adequate growth, which left them with the additional option to advance by taking tutoring this school year. Reynolds told Senators that these fourth-graders must still show adequate growth on state testing this year to advance to the fifth-grade.Senator Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, was among those expressing concern about this part of the process.“I’m just going to be candid, I think a lot of us were surprised at the number of students that went from third to fourth-grade. I thought there’s be a larger number held back. And obviously through that appeals process, very few were. Which I wanna say is great, (but) I am concerned about fourth-grade. And I’ve heard from a number of folks who say ‘well now we need a fifth-grade pathway,’” said Lundberg.Lundberg’s concerns extend to the number of students who have not progressed forward.Senator Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, echoed those worries for how to address the growth of students that have done everything required but still aren’t considered proficient.“There was a student that they had there that did everything that was asked. Did the summer camp, did the tutoring, the parents were involved, all the extras that were asked of that student. The student began at the very lowest in that level and rose to the highest in the level, but did not become proficient,” said Haile. “And there was real concern by the administration and by the teachers and by the principal and all that.”Both Senators Haile and Lundberg expressed a desire for the state to start testing students earlier so that they don’t fall that far behind. Lundberg said he’s talked to school leaders in his district that have expressed similar sentiments.“There’s nothing to prevent those schools from testing a student in first-grade or second-grade. Those teachers, candidly, know where Little Jamie and Little Johnny are going to be because they have that interaction with them early,” said Lundberg.An additional concern for lawmakers is that parents may not fully realize their child is at risk for retention in the fourth-grade.Senator Dawn White, R-Murfreesboro, questioned if guidelines were put in place allowing local school districts to inform parents if there are concerns about their child’s retention.“I’m a parent, my kid went through the summer programs, they’re (in) tutoring in fourth-grade. So how do I know they’re going to meet that adequate growth in time for the TCAP?” asked White.Reynolds told senators that her department remains hopeful that schools are providing students with the foundational skills they need to advance.“Essentially, we’re kind of operating and we don’t know what's actually happening right now in fourth-grade. It’s happening at different levels in different districts and different campuses. Not to be so glib, but at the end of the day these students have to have an extraordinary fourth-grade experience in reading and instruction,” said Reynolds.Commissioner Reynolds was scheduled to talk with the House Education Committee this week, but that meeting will be rescheduled because of snow.That committee’s chair, Representative Mark White, R-Memphis, has also expressed concern that legislation may be needed to assist with fourth-grade retention.