Third and Fourth Grade Retention Law

The law (TCA 49-6-3115) requires that students who score in the bottom two achievement categories on the literacy component of the 3rd grade TCAP, our state’s annual comprehensive assessment, receive certain supports or be retained in the 3rd grade. Those supports are summer school and/or tutoring.

• A student who retests before the next school year and scores proficient in ELA
• A student with disabilities, reading deficits, and/or suspected reading deficits as defined by a student’s IEP Team whose disability or suspected disability are the likely cause of their reading achievement scores, will NOT be retained, regardless of whether or not the student meets TDOE’s threshold.  
• English learners who have received less than two years of ELA instruction

• We expect 3rd-grade TCAP scores to be returned to the district in late May. We will contact parents with their student’s 3rd-grade scores immediately following their release, along with the options for summer school and/or tutoring.

• We will use our Winter and Spring Study Island to make our best prediction of whether or not your student is likely to fall into the below or approaching categories on TCAP. You will receive a letter with your students status in January and again in March. 

• Following the completion of the required supports, the decision on whether or not a student will be retained will be made following the 4th grade TCAP assessment. The law states that a student be retained in 4th grade if they do not make adequate progress on the 4th grade TCAP.

Free Online programs

• Khan Academy

• Students to be Served 4th Grade Promotion Pathway (No Changes for 2024-25)
  • T.C.A. § 49-6-3115 outlines the pathways for a 3rd grade student to be promoted if the student scores “approaching expectations” or “below” expectations on the ELA section of the 3rd grade TCAP. More information on the pathways to 4th grade can be found here. Students who are promoted to 4th grade through a tutoring pathway must receive ELA tutoring for the entirety of 4th grade and, if required by the chosen pathway, show adequate growth on the 4th grade ELA portion of the TCAP in order to be promoted to 5th grade.  If a student does not demonstrate adequate growth on the 4th grade ELA portion of the TCAP, the student may be promoted to the 5th grade through a conference committee pathway pursuant to Public Chapter 989 of the 2024 legislative session. Please refer to the Promotion and Retention Guidelines and Toolkit for additional information on this pathway.  
  • Kindergarten – 3rd Grade Retained Students (No Changes for 2024-25) T.C.A. § 49-6-3115(f) requires that tutoring be provided to students who are retained in any grades K–3 for the entirety of the school year.   As a best practice, districts should evaluate student needs and provide tutoring in addition to any other supports in which students may qualify.