Clarksville-Montgomery County School System officials and educators discussed several important topics during last week’s school board meeting, including the impact of state reading proficiency requirements on this year’s cohort of third-graders and the district’s decision not to arm teachers in schools.¶
Under Tennessee’s Third-Grade Retention Law, third-grade students who do not demonstrate reading proficiency on state assessments must attend summer school or receive tutoring during fourth grade to advance. Fourth-grade students impacted by the law last year must show “adequate growth” on state testing this year to be promoted to fifth grade. Fourth-graders who fail to demonstrate “adequate growth” on Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) tests may still advance to the fifth grade if all parties—including parents, teachers, and administrators—agree in a conference, under legislation passed in April.¶
Stefi Outlaw, a district educator and representative from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Association, expressed concern about the stress caused by delays in receiving test scores.¶
“Some results will impact third graders and their families. Third-grade teachers who are ending the year with field days and activities are now racing to help students before the school year ends on Thursday. That is a lot of stress on our educators and young students,” she said at last Tuesday’s board meeting. “The state needs to hold itself accountable for producing scores in a timely manner before using those scores to negatively impact third graders, educators, schools, and districts.”¶
Outlaw also thanked the board for its decision not to arm teachers in response to recent legislation allowing teachers to carry guns in schools with district and law enforcement approval.¶
