What Third Grade Parents Need to Know
The law (TCA 49-6-3115) requires that students who score in the bottom two achievement categories on the literacy component of the 3rd grade TCAP, our state’s annual comprehensive assessment, receive certain supports or be retained in the third grade. Those supports are summer school and/or tutoring.
APPROACHING PROFICIENCY
Summer School OR
Tutoring
BELOW PROFICIENCY
Summer School AND
Tutoring
To meet the expectations of this law, Smith County Schools will be expanding our summer school options for rising fourth graders and expanding our literacy tutoring offerings for fourth grade students in the 2023-24 school year.
When will I know if this applies to my student?
We expect 3rd grade TCAP scores to be returned to the district in late May. We will contact parents with their student’s 3rd grade scores immediately following their release, along with the options for summer school and/or tutoring.
From the guidance provided by The Tennessee Department of Education, we are using our universal reading screener (Aimsweb Plus) and the ELA iReady Diagnostic Assessment to make our best prediction of whether or not your student is likely to fall into the below or approaching categories on TCAP.
Following the completion of the required supports, the decision on whether or not a student will be retained will be made following the 4th grade TCAP assessment. The law states that a student be retained in 4th grade if they do not make adequate progress on the 4th grade TCAP.
The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) is required in the law to define adequate progress. TDOE has not yet released that information.
More information about exemptions and parent appeals will be forthcoming once the TCAP scores are reported.