NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Mimicking last year's outcome, this year's TCAP scores showed that more than half of Tennessee third graders aren't meeting reading expectations.
The Tennessee Department of Education released the information on Thursday.
Data does show that 27% met expectations and 14% exceeded them, meaning those Tennessee students are on grade level. The total of students who are not on grade level on the TCAP test is 60% — with 36% approaching and 23% below expectations.
Third grade has become a crucial year for Tennessee students due to the Third Grade Retention Law. Per the law, students who score approaching or below will have to undergo extra tutoring or retake the reading portion of the TCAP test. Students are already participating in that process.
However, fourth grade students showed some growth. At least 46% of fourth graders reached TCAP benchmarks. Rather than be retained with no options, state law changed this year to provide pathways for fifth graders.
The state didn't provide district-level data with this announcement.
My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
