KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In 2023, hundreds of third-graders faced the possibility of being held back if they did not meet expectations on TCAP exams. Now, it could happen again, but it may look a little different.
Tennessee lawmakers passed rules in 2023 that restrict third-graders from advancing if they underperformed on the TCAP exams, and also said some fourth-graders who underperform on exams may need to be held back. A bill headed to Governor Bill Lee's desk would change rules surrounding how fourth-graders could be held back.
The new bill, HB 2326, sought to create new ways for fourth graders to advance to the fifth grade. The House version required parents to meet with educators about the student's performance and would allow them to advance to the fifth grade if they went through educational interventions. The House and Senate originally could not agree on the finer details of the bill, and it went through a Conference Committee before being approved.
Sarah Ray is the mom of fourth-grade triplets. She said the feeling of anxiety is something she and her children share.
"I had one who passed last year," said Ray. "And it's not even really an issue for that child this year. But we had been seeing some strange behaviors, I'm noticing some, what I see now is anxiety. It's really just been a challenge. And they are so I think perpetually worried now about not being able to progress with their friends through school. It's a constant source of stress for them."
Sarah isn't the only parent with this feeling. Katherine Bike is a Knox County Schools Board Member. She's also the mom of a fourth grader. She said more funding and more support for educators could help with this problem.
"If you talk to educators, they'll tell you what they need, they need more time, they need more support," said Bike. "And honestly, they need to be paid so that they don't have to have two jobs. I think you could start there. But then I think that the freedom to educate kids where they're at and how they learn is also really important. And I think experienced teachers do understand that. But a lot of times, they're bound by what we have to do, based on guidance from the state."
Ray said she has advice for other parents who may be going through the same thing she is.
"I don't know what, I don't know," said Ray. "And when I don't know something, it's my job to figure it out and find out, just for accountability purposes and things like that. But find out where your kid is struggling and for me, I always wonder, 'Why, where, how?' And I always seek to try to find the help that they need, whether that be tutoring or anything else."