Tennessee lawmakers are returning to the capitol after a week-long closure due to snow and frigid temperatures. As the session gets underway, education issues will be a top priority. Especially Gov. Bill Lee’s universal school voucher proposal.
Senators criticize rollout of third grade retention in first meeting with new Tennessee education commissioner
In her first appearance before the Senate education committee, Tennessee’s Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds received sharp criticism for the rollout of the state’s third grade retention law, which threatened to hold back kids who didn’t pass the English Language Arts section of their TCAP test.
2023 was a tumultuous year for education in Tennessee. Here’s a look back at the year’s biggest stories.
As 2023 comes to close, WPLN is taking a moment to remember some of the biggest stories of the year. In education, big policy changes usually take the number one spot. Unfortunately, this was not a typical year.
More than 12,000 Tennessee fourth graders are in required tutoring this year. They’ll need to improve their test scores to go to fifth grade.
Students will need to show “adequate growth” when they take their spring TCAP exams. The state board of education is still finalizing what that means and heard a proposal during its meeting last week.
TCAP: a deep dive into the history of the test that threatens to hold back so many Tennessee third graders
As Tennessee families prepare to send their kids back to school, some are bracing for their second first day of third grade. To better understand Tennessee’s high stakes test, it’s important to know the history.
For one slice of Tennessee third graders, appeals to the state are helping them advance to fourth grade
More than 85% of the Tennessee third graders who challenged being held back under the state’s retention law have been given the approval to move on to the fourth grade.
Metro’s summer school program feels ‘a little heavier’ this year with TN’s third grade retention policy
Summer schools are well underway in Middle Tennessee. Many of this year’s attendees are third graders, trying to avoid being held back after scoring less than proficient on the English Language Arts Section of the state’s standardized test.
Summer school kicks off in Nashville as the third grade retention law continues to frustrate parents
For some parents, the promise of free childcare is exciting. But for others — namely, the parents of third graders — the program feels like an imposition.
TCAP appeals window opens as families of third graders try to avoid being held back
The fallout from Tennessee’s third grade standardized testing rules enters a new phase Tuesday, as families can begin appealing to the state to ask that students be advanced to fourth grade.
TCAP scores show 60% of Tennessee third graders may be held back under new state law
The news arrives as many third grade parents are outraged over a law that requires third graders who do not meet the state’s standards in language arts to attend a summer school — or risk being held back from fourth grade.