Knox County parents will know later this month if their children are at risk for retention under new reading requirements
In two weeks, parents in Knox County will learn if their children are at risk of repeating the third or fourth grade due to new state reading requirements.
Under Tennessee’s new Third-Grade Retention Law, third-graders who do not demonstrate reading proficiency on state tests must attend summer school or undergo both summer school and tutoring during their fourth-grade year to advance. Fourth-graders affected by the law last year must 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, informed school board members on Monday night that the district plans to notify parents of third and fourth-graders who do not meet the required threshold during the week of May 20. These students will have the opportunity to retake state assessments between May 22 and May 24 for another chance to advance.
Last year, lawmakers passed legislation to reduce the number of third-graders impacted by the retention law. Additionally, the General Assembly passed legislation last month that may help fourth-graders advance if all parties—parents, teachers, and the school principal—agree during a conference. This legislation still needs to be signed by Governor Lee before becoming an option for families.
In the meantime, Phillips reassured board members that the district remains committed to supporting students and helping parents understand that children who struggle with the new thresholds are not necessarily failing to learn to read.
“Once students enter Knox County Schools, it’s our job to think about how we prepare students to promote annually to the next grade level,” Phillips said. “One of the common myths out there is that if a student’s 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 students scoring below or approaching can’t read.”
Some third-graders may qualify to appeal their retention based on various factors, including experiencing a catastrophic event within 60 days of taking the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) test.