Nearly 4 in 10 KCS third graders did not pass TCAP reading test

Areena Arora, Knoxville News Sentinel
Updated ·3 min read

Nearly 40% of Knox County Schools third graders failed the state's mandatory reading test, and parents of those children need to decide by Sunday evening whether to retake the test.

Kids who don't retake the test, or who don't pass on their second try, will be required to either take summer school or one-on-one tutoring next school year, or both, depending on their score on the standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test.

Third graders who scored "approaching" or "below" language arts proficiency have one chance to take the test again. This applies to about 1,600 Knox County Schools third graders.

Parents were notified Friday night and have until Sunday evening to opt in to retake the exam, said Knox County Schools spokesperson Carly Harrington. After they tell the district how they'd like to proceed, parents will be told May 26 the next steps to retake the test, Harrington said.

Students who scored "approaching" or "below" proficiency are eligible.

The state education department did not publicly release the raw scores, saying the data in that form would make individual students indentifiable.

Here's what parents need to know.

For students who scored "approaching" proficiency

Children who scored "approaching" proficiency must complete ONE of the following to move on to fourth grade:

  • Retest and score at grade level or appeal the decision.

  • Enroll in summer school, attend 90% of classes and show adequate growth in skills.

  • Partner with a free state-provided tutor for the entirety of fourth grade.

Students who scored "below" proficiency

Those who scored "below" proficiency must complete ONE of the following to move on to fourth grade:

  • Retest and score at grade level

  • Enroll in summer school with 90% attendance minimum AND partner with a free state-provided tutor for the entirety of fourth grade.

What assessment did the students take?

The standardized TCAP test, also known as TNReady, is taken by students in grades 3-8.

Students are tested in four subject areas: English language, math, social studies and science. For third graders, promotion to fourth grade is dependent on their English language scores.

The assessment period this year was April 17-May 2.

How do I appeal the decision?

Parents of children who scored approaching proficiency on the reading portion of the exam can file an appeal to the state within two weeks. This appeal must include documentation of the child's reading skills growth on the state-approved benchmark or an explanation of an event that might have impacted the child's performance on the assessment.

Parents can find the appeal form online here.

Are there any exceptions?

There are several exceptions that allow third graders to be promoted to fourth grade without any conditions. These are:

  • Students who have received less than two years of English instruction

  • Those who have already been held back once

  • Students with disabilities or suspected disabilities that impact their development

Knox County has nearly 60,000 students enrolled in its 90 schools, and 4,352 are third graders, according to the latest available data from the state department of education.

The state Department of Education released results for its standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test late on Friday, May 19, forcing school districts across the state to scramble to give students the chance to retake the test.

Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AreenaArora.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Nearly 40% of Knox County third graders did not pass TCAP reading test