KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Knox County Schools said they are seeing continuous growth in third and fourth-grade reading proficiency on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program exams for the third consecutive year.
On Thursday, the Tennessee Department of Education released averages of third and fourth-grade results for the ELA portion of the spring 2024 TCAP assessment. More than 43% of KCS third-graders and more than 50% of fourth-graders met or exceeded the expectations.
For third graders in KCS, 43.5% achieved proficiency, up from 42.9% last year and 38.3% two years ago. For fourth graders, 50.1% achieved proficiency, beating the previous year's 47.8% and 45.1% two years ago, according to a release from KCS.
The statewide third-grade ELA proficiency rate is 40.9% and the fourth-grade ELA proficiency rate is 46.4%, according to TDOE.
“Our staff and students have worked hard and remained focused on our four priorities and you’re seeing the results of that hard work and dedication in these results,” Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk said. “We have made a commitment to protect our teacher’s time in the classroom so they can do what they do best: deliver high-quality instruction every day to prepare every student for life after graduation. I applaud our teachers for the expertise and determination they bring to accelerating student achievement."
In 2023, it was the first year the Third Grade Retention Law took effect in Tennessee. Students must score above proficiency on the ELA portion of the TCAP or else they are at risk of being held back. If they do not meet expectations, there are options available for students.
Students with an "approaching" score must attend a summer learning camp or receive tutoring to move to the fourth grade. Students who score "below" must go to summer learning camp and tutoring to move to the next grade.
Fourth-grade students who did not meet the proficiency cut must meet their adequate growth target to move to the next grade. KCS expects to receive those numbers from the state later this month.
According to KCS, the total number of third-grade students who met the criteria to move on to fourth grade without an intervention, either because of their score or due to an exemption, was 3,202. This number is subject to increase based on decisions from the state to student appeals, KCS said.
The current number of fourth-grade students who met the criteria to move on to fifth grade without an intervention is 3,870. KCS said they anticipate the number growing as they receive adequate growth targets from the state later this summer.
“We’re pleased to share that summer learning is already underway. This is just one example of our commitment to ensure every student has a path to promotion," Dr. Keith Wilson, Assistant Superintendent of Academics, said. “We are encouraged by and proud of these results and will continue to work diligently to build literacy proficiency in every student..”
JC Bowman, executive director of the Professional Educators of Tennessee, released a statement on the results below:
"We look forward to reviewing the data and numbers of schools and districts statewide to see where we can improve and focus future efforts. The fact that very few students were retained last year demonstrates that support strategies such as summer learning camps and tutoring programs benefit students. We strongly support identifying and assisting struggling readers in lower grades and the responsible use of data to support students before third grade.
Tennessee's public schools are making significant strides in literacy with the aid of data-driven insights, enabling the implementation of best practices and resource allocation to enhance student outcomes. Due to the hard work of students, teachers, districts, and families and the critical investments of time and resources by district and state leaders, we are seeing positive results.”