As Tennessee school districts wait to receive scores from spring’s Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), the State Board of Education (SBE) passed rules guiding the implications of those results.
The rules, crafted by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), and passed by the SBE on Friday, will determine how many Tennessee’s third-graders will spend their summer months.
The initial intent was to pass the governing rules at a specially called SBE meeting at the end of March. However, board members were uneasy over using TCAP scores as a benchmark, along with questions about the feasibility of the TDOE’s proposed timeline.
During that March meeting, Board Member Warren Wells questioned whether the proposal allowed adequate time for districts to identify students slated for retention and provide opportunities for them to receive required resources promptly.
After a prolonged discussion, the SBE voted to defer passage until the May 19th board meeting.
Friday’s meeting coincided with the scheduled release of third-grade English Language Arts (ELA) TCAP scores to district officials by the TDOE.
Before their quarterly meeting, the board met on Thursday to review the proposed rules in a workshop session.
Soon-to-be acting State Education Commissioner Sam Pearcy presented the proposed rules to the board. Pearcy described those rules as “rooted in clarity and alignment.”
He further informed board members that cut scores would be available at the same time on Friday in addition to raw scores. Cut scores were previously not expected to be available until May 26.
Under state law, third-graders who fail to score proficient on the English Language Arts (ELA) TCAP must be retained unless they enroll in a district-provided summer school or sign up for tutoring next school year. Those who fall into the category of “below” must participate in both.
Students who fail to achieve a “proficient” score may retake the TCAP test, minus the writing portion. A “proficient” score on the retake makes a student eligible for promotion to fourth-grade.
Under the proposed rules, any student who falls short of “proficient” but scores “approaching proficiency” can be promoted if:
- the student is enrolled in and maintains 90% attendance at a district-provided summer school, and
- the student demonstrates adequate growth on the post-test as determined by the department.
To arrive at that measurement, the TDOE will utilize the third-grade ELA TCAP as a baseline, minus the writing portion. Initially, the rule read that for those students taking the retest, the baseline will be the highest of the two scores.
At Thursday’s workshop, SBE Chair Robert S. Eby asked about changing the rule to make the retake score the highest of the two, provided it doesn’t hurt the student. He outlines a situation where a child who previously scored 40 percent on the initial test and then scored 43 percent on the retake. The 43 percent would require the student to score 48 percent on the post-camp exam to show adequate growth—a higher level than required if they had not taken the retake.
An amendment proposed by Eby on Friday changed the baseline to being set at the Spring ELA TCAP unless a student’s retake score moved them into the “approaching” or “proficient” category.
Test scores are calculated based on points earned divided by the points possible. This differs from how TCAP is usually scored, where results are subjected to an equating process. Due to the need for practicality, third-grade raw scores are being utilized to satisfy requirements.
Students enrolled in summer school will take a TCAP blueprint-aligned assessment at the end of summer school. The post-test will be compared with the pre-test to determine adequate growth. Those in the “approaching” category who achieve 5 percent growth are eligible for promotion.
If a student who scored “approaching” on the pre-evaluation fails to show adequate growth after meeting the summer school requirements, they may still be promoted to fourth grade if they enroll in high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring for 4th grade—defined by statute as tutoring that occurs a minimum of two thirty-minute sessions per week, with a one-to-three student-to-tutor ratio.
Students in the “below” category are not eligible for promotion through the adequate growth provision. They are required by law to sign up for both summer school and high-dosage tutoring to be promoted.
Board Member Ryan Holt said, “If students are in the “approaching” category, they can avoid concerns about adequate growth simply by signing up for fourth-grade tutoring.”
Ryan added, “As a parent, that is what I would do.”
When asked about promoting students without achieving “proficiency” status, State Senate Education Committee Chair State Senator John Lundberg (R-Bristol) expressed satisfaction with the proposed rules. He told The Tennessee Star, “The expectation is that the student would be identified as in need of extra attention, and after the summer school the district would continue to supply supports that would help that child be proficient by the end of fourth grade.”
Several board members raised concerns about whether parents fully knew their options. Board members were equally concerned about the time provided to students and teachers to make summer plans.
Lundberg further reiterated that all rules and legislation were subject to change as data becomes available.
Most summer bridge camps offer a total of 16 possible instructional days. In defining adequate growth, the TDOE feels it is important to maximize both camp time and end-of-year instructional time to the benefit of the student. The testing window for TCAP this year was from April 17 to May 5.
As part of their presentation, the TDOE laid out the following timetable:
- May 19: TCAP raw scores released (identifies students as proficient or not)
- May 26: TCAP conversion table released (identifies students’ proficiency bands)
- May 22 – June 5: TCAP Retake window (results within 48 hours)
- May – July: Summer Bridge Camps (dates vary by district)
- End of Camp (dates vary by district): Post-test administered (scored instantly)
- Within 5 Business Days of Post-Test: the department releases adequate growth determinations (rolling-basis)
- 10 Days Prior to Start of School: Districts must notify families of retention determinations ( July 24 is the earliest start date for SY23-24)
On Friday, after extensive discussion, the SBE adopted the proposed rules. They will go into effect immediately.
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TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
Photo “Students” by Tima Miroshnichenko.
I oppose this third grade retention bill. Many of the students who failed it are honors students who have done excellently on core subjects. Instead, Lee’s retention policy is a scheme of his and Hillsdale College’s President Arnnt to pressure parents who can afford it to send their children to charter or other private schools so as to exempt their children from this stupid test. Lee and Company wants to destroy the Tennessee’s centuries old public school system with a bunch of private schools that working class, lower middle class, and poor parents cannot afford for their children. Lee wants to deprive all but the very rich of a good education for their children!
After these sub standard, below par, give away rules some will still fail and be let through because they’re “approaching proficiency”??? What a joke.
A new provision has just been announced that will permit students who fail the proficiency requirements to be promoted. To wit:
Any failing 3rd grade student who can demonstrate that they can chew gum and walk at eh same time will be advanced to the 4th grade.