Most of Rutherford County Schools 3rd-graders promoted to 4th grade score proficient
About 70.5% of Rutherford County Schools third-graders so far will be promoted to fourth grade, spokesman James Evans reported Monday.
The count includes 43.5% of the third-graders who scored proficient on Tennessee's standardized test for English Language Arts, the literacy goal of a state law for students to earn promotion to fourth-grade. The county's percentage of successful test results also exceeds the 40% of third-graders statewide scoring proficient.
"This is a significant increase over the previous year’s proficiency rate of 39.3%," Evans said in a press release.
The count of third-graders who are being promoted to fourth grade includes 27% who are exempt because they're "English Language Learners" from immigrant families, have a disability that impacts reading or have been held back previously.
"For all other students, parents have several options to ensure their children are promoted to fourth grade, and schools are working directly with parents on those options," Evans said.
Below are the options for parents for their children to be promoted to fourth grade:
Students may be given a retake of the test by their schools and can use the results to meet the proficiency requirement.
Parents have an option to file an appeal directly with the Tennessee Department of Education using results of a universal screener given to students after the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) assessments were administered.
Students can attend free summer learning camps being held in June and/or enroll in free after-school tutoring being offered by RCS in the fall.
Parents can file an appeal if they feel their child had a “catastrophic event” that impeded their performance on the TCAP assessment.
State 3rd grade reading scores Tennessee reports 60% fall short on TCAP test
Murfreesboro City Schools also scores above state in proficiency
Murfreesboro City Schools had 43.53% of its third-graders score proficient on the English Language Arts tests, spokeswoman Lisa Trail said.
Murfreesboro City Schools Director Trey Duke also touted the district's 3% gain in the third-graders proficiency scores over last year
"MCS is laser focused on working with third-grade families to provide every opportunity for each child to have a pathway for promotion," Duke said.
About 30% of the city district's students also are exempt from scoring proficient to be promoted to fourth grade, Trail said.
The city district, like the county, will provide options for families with nonexempt third-graders who scored below proficiency. This includes retaking the test this week to score proficient, attending free summer school or tutoring as fourth-graders, Trail said.
Third-grade literacy law: Parents of 3rd graders impacted by test score law will be notified about summer camps
Rutherford County Schools Director pleased with results
Current third-graders were the youngest set of students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and their kindergarten year was shortened by three months because of a Tennessee public school shutdown in March 2020, according to the press release from Rutherford County Schools.
The press release included statements from Schools Director James "Jimmy" Sullivan.
“We are extremely proud of the work and collaboration of our students, teachers, and parents,” Sullivan said. “Third grade is a vital point in the life of a young person, and we want to ensure success for all. The competencies shown by our students is a testament to the resiliency of this group of third-graders.”
The promotion requirements around one Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program data point don’t portray simple "reading ability," Sullivan said.
"Instead, the TCAP third grade English Language Arts assessment is a measure of a student’s performance on all Tennessee Academic ELA Standards including the ability to interact, decipher, comprehend, and analyze comprehensive text," Sullivan said.
“We look forward to working with our students, families, and teachers as we navigate this new law to ensure the end goal is met for all — student success in school and in life."
Murfreesboro school officials oppose the third-grade law
Many educators and officials, including Murfreesboro City School Board member David Settles, oppose that the third-grade law removed decisions from local schools and boards, he said.
"I don’t know anybody that does support it," Settles said.
Although Settles supports efforts to raise literacy through summer school and tutoring, he questions why the third-grade law would prevent a child impacted by pandemic learning loss from being promoted to fourth grade based on the results of one test on one day.
"I don’t think retaining them or the threat of retaining them is the way to go," Settles said. "I think we need more carrot and less stick."
Parents may have to alter summer plans
Murfreesboro City School Board Chairman Butch Campbell said families may be choosing between traveling for vacation plans in June and staying home to allow their third-grade children to attend summer school for the required number of days.
"There’s no way you can do both," Campbell said. "I know parents are not real happy. They are upset. The people the parents need to contact are the state legislators. They are the ones who passed the law and made the rulings. It’s not the school boards or the teachers. Teachers have no input."
Campbell also questioned the use of standardized test scores to determine fourth-grade promotion.
"A child may not do well on a one day test," said Campbell, a retired 41-year educator, including 31 as principal at Rutherford County's Walter Hill School.
State lawmaker defends law's goal to improve literacy
State Rep. Charlie Baum, R-Murfreesboro, backs the law.
"This is an attempt by the state of Tennessee to ensure that third-graders are able to read on grade level, so that when we graduate them, they will be literate," said Baum, who has worked as an economics professor since 1999 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. "And if these students are behind grade level, they need the help and resources to get caught up."
The state is paying for all of the costs to provide third-graders with the choice of either summer school or fourth-grade tutoring that can be before school, after school or during school hours, Baum said.
"Local school boards aren't being asked to pay for any of that," Baum said. "Students who refuse the assistance will be required to repeat third-grade."
Third-graders also have more than one opportunity to demonstrate proficiency on a test, Baum added.
They also can also show proficiency by retaking the standardized test or do so on a test for a progress report before the end of the year, Baum said.
"It's a very flexible law," Baum said. "It's very fair. I encourage Murfreesboro City School board members to support the state's literacy efforts."
What parents need to know. Tennessee third-grade reading law about tests, rules, appeals
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Third-grade test results
Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test: English Language Arts
Rutherford County Schools third-graders scoring proficient: 43.5%
Murfreesboro City Schools third-graders scoring proficient: 43.53%
Statewide third-graders scoring proficient: 40%
Rutherford County Schools third-graders exempt from state requirement to score proficient for promotion to fourth grade: 27%
Murfreesboro City Schools third-graders exempt from scoring proficient on standardized test: 30%
Who's exempt: students who are English Language Learners from immigrant families, have disability that impacts reading or have already been held back a grade
Options for third-graders below proficiency score to be promoted to fourth grade: retake test and score proficient; appeal to state to consider using a screener after the test to determine proficiency; attend free summer school; seek tutoring in fourth grade
Sources: Rutherford County Schools and Murfreesboro City Schools
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: 70.5% of Rutherford County Schools 3rd-graders so far promoted to 4th
