Tennessee has implemented a new law requiring third graders who cannot read proficiently to be retained, aiming to address the severe learning loss caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. While some parents question the effectiveness of retention, studies have shown that extra support for retained students can lead to substantial gains in reading skills. However, critics argue that retention can have short-lived academic gains and increase dropout rates and bullying. Tennessee's law includes conditions for promotion, such as passing a retake of the test, attending summer school, and receiving tutoring. The long-term impact of the law is yet to be measured, but a similar law in Mississippi has shown promise in improving literacy outcomes.
Indiana's statewide reading test scores reveal that nearly one in five third graders struggle to read, highlighting a "crisis" in education, according to the state's secretary of education. While there was a slight improvement in proficiency, with 81.9% of students demonstrating reading proficiency, scores remain 9.5 percentage points below the state's highest-ever rate. The Department of Education noted that reading proficiency improved for some student groups but declined for Hispanic students. The department aims to have 95% of students pass the reading assessment by 2027, with 242 elementary schools achieving that goal so far.
A US Department of Education study found that only one in three fourth graders was at or above reading proficiency, prompting elementary schools to reassess their reading programs. One school in particular changed its reading program after realizing that students "weren't actually learning to read."
A bill is advancing in Tennessee that would reduce the number of third graders at risk of retention due to low reading proficiency. The bill would allow schools to use multiple measures of academic progress, in addition to reading proficiency, to determine whether a student should be promoted to fourth grade. This would give students who may struggle with reading but excel in other subjects a better chance of advancing to the next grade.
