Summer school an option for third-graders facing retention after TCAP testing

The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, more commonly known by the acronym TCAP, isn't new–but the third-grade English Language Arts TCAP test has received a lot of recent media attention due to a new third-grade retention law that calls for stricter reading requirements for advancement.The TCAP assessments may have been designed to keep students on track academically, but for some parents and educators, the testing doesn't capture the entirety of students' readiness to advance to the next grade. TCAP scores are evaluated in four categories: Exceeds expectations, meets expectations, approaching expectations, and below expectations."There's a lot of different assessments that are given throughout the year, and some of our students are not good test-takers," said Angie Wills, Supervisor of K-6 and Curriculum and Instruction. "TCAP is just one measure of a student's proficiency."TCAP testing in four different subject areas (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) is required in grades 3-8, and state law mandates that TCAP scores are a percentage of students' final grades. Students with cognitive disabilities take alternative assessments, including the Multi-State Alternate Assessment and TCAP-Alt, and English Language Learners take ACCESS tests.Students who score below expectations or approaching expectations have options for advancement to fourth grade, including attending summer school, tutoring, or retaking the test.According to data released by the Tennessee Department of Education, Johnson County ranks 134 out of 141 school districts in the state for third-grade 2023 ELA TCAP scores. Johnson County's total proficiency of 21.98% places the county ahead of Achievement School District (10.12%), Humboldt County (16.25%), Fayette County (16.52%), Perry County (17.28%), Haywood County (18%), Houston County (19.27%), and Jackson-Madison (19.59%), but just behind Union County (22.48%).The data also reveals that the average proficiency for the entire state is about 40%.Out of 1,039 third-grade students that took the TCAPs, Wills said that 55 students were at risk for retention, effective with the new state law.Wills shared that 64 third graders across the county took the English Language Arts retake on Monday, May 22. Nine of those students passed the retake and will advance to fourth grade without summer school.Any student that did not pass the TCAP or retake may need to attend summer school to advance to fourth grade. Per the new third-grade retention law, students must maintain at least 90% attendance—or miss no more that one day—to meet the requirements to advance.At the completion of summer school, Wills said that students will be tested again and must demonstrate at least 5% growth to advance to the next grade. Any students that test in the approaching category will still advance but will also need to be enrolled in tutoring.Though Wills did say that this year's numbers are consistent with previous years, other factors may be affecting students' TCAP scores this year."This group of third graders was the most impacted by COVID," Wills shared. "They missed half of their kindergarten year and had quarantine in first and second grade. It's unfortunate because this group has struggled."Next year may relieve some anxiety for students, parents, and teachers alike. Wills explained that next year the state law will allow educators to use a universal reading screener to assess reading proficiency in grades K-3."We've been working with some parents on appeals, and their kids are in the 50th to 60th percentile," Wills said. "Next year, with the universal reading screener, we can pass the 40th percentile, but they won't allow us to use that benchmark this year."Parents and students can take comfort that educators are doing everything they can to help students succeed. "The last thing we want to do is hold kids back," Wills said. "Our main goal is to get them where they need to be."