Latest news with #TennesseeComprehensiveAssessmentProgram
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tennessee reading law: What to know as TCAP scores released, third graders face retention
The widespread effects of the Tennessee reading and retention law will be felt again this year for thousands of public school third and fourth graders and their families. The Tennessee Department of Education will release third grade results on the English language arts portion of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP, to districts on May 20. That sets off a fast-moving timeline that will ultimately determine if third graders who fall short on the test will move on to fourth grade or be held back. Thousands of fourth graders who opted for yearlong tutoring to avoid retention last year are also affected by the law. Here's what parents need to know about navigating the implications of the law. Tennessee reading law: Less than 1% of third graders held back in 2024 The standardized TCAP test, also known as TNReady, was administered in April for Grades 3-5. Testing dates varied by district. TCAP scores are typically released in two waves over the summer and early fall each year. However, the Tennessee Department of Education will release some scores and data early for third and fourth graders affected by the reading law. English language arts scores for third graders will be released to districts on May 20 . Growth data for fourth graders will be released by July 1. It will be up to districts to relay that information to parents and legal guardians and inform them of next steps. In 2024, 60% of third graders fell short of the state's reading benchmark. That number does not factor in automatic exemptions. After exemptions, retakes, summer school and the appeal process all unfolded, less than 1% of last year's third graders were held back under the reading law, which totaled 655 students. The law also affects nearly 7,500 fourth graders who qualified and opted into yearlong tutoring to avoid retention last year. Those students must pass the English language arts section of this year's TCAP or meet an individualized growth goal set by the state. If they do not, their school must call a conference with the student's parent or guardian, English language arts teacher and school principal to determine if the child will be held back or move on to fifth grade with academic supports, including tutoring. 'Not a reading proficiency test': TN parents, experts question TCAP use in third grade law Yes. Some third graders whose scores fall short can move on to fourth grade without any further action. Those students include: English language learners who have received less than two years of English language arts instruction Those who were held back in a previous grade Students with disabilities or suspected disabilities that impact their literacy development It is up to the districts to sort out those students and inform parents. Try a TCAP practice test: See how Tennessee measures third grade reading Third graders who score as approaching proficiency must complete one of the following to move on to fourth grade: Retest and score on grade level, with a retest window of May 21-30 Enroll in summer school, meet 90% attendance and show adequate growth Have a free state-provided tutor for the entirety of fourth grade Additionally, third graders who scored at or above the 50th percentile on their spring reading screening test can also move on if they enroll in tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade. The State Board of Education defines "adequate growth" for third graders as a student scoring at least five percentage points higher on a post-summer school test than their baseline score. The baseline can be either their initial TCAP English language arts score or their retake score. Third graders who score as below proficiency have the following options to move on: Retest and score on grade level, with a retest window of May 21-30 Enroll in summer school with 90% attendance rate and have a free state-provided tutor for the entirety of fourth grade Retake scores will be given to districts within two days of testing. Retesting and summer school dates vary by district. Students who opt for fourth grade tutoring must demonstrate adequate growth on their TCAP the following spring to avoid possible retention or extra steps to advance to fifth grade. To move on to fifth grade with no additional steps, fourth graders who enrolled in tutoring under the reading law must either pass the English language arts section of the TCAP or reach an "adequate growth" goal. The state's formula for adequate growth for fourth graders factors in the student's English language arts score on the TCAP and the probability that they will eventually reach proficiency. The growth goal is individualized to each student. Adequate growth data will be sent out to districts by July 1. If fourth graders do not meet either benchmark, the next steps are up to the student's parents, English language arts teacher and principal. There is an appeal process for third graders who scored as approaching expectations and faced a catastrophic event that impacted their ability to perform on the TCAP. The appeal window will be open from May 28-June 27. Once parents and legal guardians are notified of a retention decision, they have 14 days to file the appeal. Authorized school personnel are also allowed to file an appeal on behalf of a parent or legal guardian. Final retention notifications will be made sometime in July and will vary by district. For students enrolled in summer programming, decisions must be relayed to parents within 10 calendar days of the first day of school. Decisions for students who are not in summer programming may be made sooner. Here are all the key dates in one place for 2025: May 20: English language arts TCAP scores for third graders released to districts May 21-May 30: Third grade English language arts TCAP retake window May 28-June 27: Appeal window for third graders By July 1: Adequate growth data for fourth grade students released to districts In July: Final retention notifications made, including for students who participated in summer programming Summer programming dates will vary by district. More information on the third grade reading and retention law from the Tennessee Department of Education can be found at This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee reading law: What to know as third grade TCAP scores released
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tennessee lawmakers just passed a $447M school choice bill. Here's what it does
House and Senate Republicans on Thursday passed a $447 million statewide school choice program, offering state-funded scholarships for children to attend private schools without regard to their income or ZIP code. A high priority of Gov. Bill Lee since the campaign trail, votes in both chambers saw rare bipartisan opposition. Lee has said he wants implementation to begin as soon as possible. The measure will cost about $447 million total, and includes several provisions not directly related to the scholarship program. Here's what's in the bill: Education Freedom Act of 2025 will offer 20,000 scholarships or vouchers worth about $7,296 each in taxpayer funds to students statewide to attend Category I-III state-accredited private schools. Students attending independent home schools and umbrella church-related home schools would not be eligible to participate. Half of the vouchers are reserved for families with incomes below 300% of the income limit to quality for free or reduced price lunch – about $170,000 for a family of four – or children with disabilities. The remaining 10,000 slots have no income limit. Tennessee's median household income was $85,900 in 2024. While Lee and others have pitched the program as a way to ensure families without means to pay for private school have access to the school of their choice, leaders this week acknowledged that the program is not designed for disadvantaged families – and could benefit the wealthy. 'I never once said this was a program designed for disadvantaged families, and I've never heard the governor say that. … This legislation has been marketed as a parental empowerment tool,' said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin. 'We're not going to penalize people who work hard and might do a little better than someone else. We want these to be universal.' Participating students will be required to take a standardized achievement test each year from third through 11th grade, though they are not required to take the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test. A number of private schools already administer the TCAP each year. For those that do, the bill requires the state to collect a sampling of voucher-recipient's TCAP test results to compare with statewide TCAP achievement. The program does not create any additional requirements for participating private schools, or require private schools to accept voucher recipients. Students with disabilities are not guaranteed individualized education plans under the program. Guarantees that districts will never receive less state TISA funding than they currently receive, to make up any gaps school districts could see from enrollment drops Allocates funding for school construction and maintenance, which will prioritize at-risk counties, high-performing districts, and fast-growing counties, then counties with damage from natural disasters. Other counties can apply for remaining funds. Offers funding for a $2,000 bonus for every teacher in the state, if local school boards adopt a resolution affirming they want to participate in the Education Freedom Act. Teachers in districts that do not pass such a resolution will not receive bonuses. Lawmakers who are K-12 school teachers may not receive a bonus, but their spouses may, and lawmakers' families are welcome to apply for the $7,296 scholarships. Logistics for how to apply for a scholarship are not yet available. Once the bill is signed into law, the Department of Education can start work toward launching the program, a process that could take months, and will include rulemaking, hiring contractors, and developing an application process. With Republicans holding a supermajority in both chambers, it's rare for votes to be close in either chamber. Twenty-one House Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill, as did seven Senate Republicans. Rep. Jerome Moon, R-Maryville, voted present. Their opposition came after threats from out-of-state groups that lawmakers could face primary challenges next election cycle for voting against the bill, and claims from members of their own caucus, like Sen. Bo Watson, that those who "align with the current presidential administration and their view towards school choice… must support this bill.' Here are the Senate Republicans who opposed the measure: Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Manchester Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville Sen. Robert Harshbarger, R-Kingsport Sen. Tom Hatcher, R-Blount County Sen. Jessie Seal, R-Tazewell Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown Sen. Page Walley, R-Savannah And House Republicans who opposed the measure: Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough Rep. Fred Atchley, R-Sevierville Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson Rep. Rush Bricken, R-Tullahoma Rep. Jeff Burkhart, R-Clarksville Rep. Tandy Darby, R-Greenfield Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville Rep. Gary Hicks, R-Rogersville Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland Rep. Chris Hurt, R-Halls Rep. Renea Jones, R-Unicoi Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown Rep. Kevin Raper, R-Cleveland Rep. Michelle Reneau, R-Signal Mountain Rep. Lowell Russell, R-Vonore Rep. Rick Scarbrough, R-Oak Ridge Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta Rep. Tom Stinnett, R-Friendsville Rep. Ron Travis, R-Dayton Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lawmakers just passed $447M Tennessee school choice bill. What to know
