MEMPHIS, Tenn — In two days, some parents will find out if their child will have to repeat the third grade.
The Memphis Shelby County Schools’ summer learning academy ends this Wednesday, July 19.
According to MSCS, 667 third graders were required to attend SLA and all 667 enrolled.
This is after 8.1% of MSCS third-grade students improved their scores to proficient on the TCAP retake according to the Tennessee Department of Education.
ABC24 spoke with a third-grade teacher who requested to remain anonymous. She said the district can do more sooner to help students succeed and prevent the larger class sizes she expects this coming school year.
“I think that the state was inducing testing anxiety at way too young of an age." That’s the belief of a third-grade teacher as she prepares to go into her third year at MSCS.
The teacher said one of her biggest concerns for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year is class size.
“These third-grade teachers have a huge numbers of classes,” she said.
It’s far greater than the average, she said, which ranges between 12 and 26 students.
“There’s nothing really being done about increasing the volume of third-grade teachers in the state,” she said. "I very greatly believe that it's not good to send students on to the next grade when they're not prepared for it."
And though the school district offers tutoring, she believes helping them at a younger age could prevent frustration and failure later, and alleviate struggles with reading and reading comprehension they face in third grade.
"I saw it in so many kids that I taught this past year. They came to me so unprepared,” she said. “This is just a wake-up call that there needs to be more intervention. [At] kindergarten, first grade, second grade, even pre-k."
ABC24 reached out to MSCS and asked about the progress students have made during the summer learning academy and what class sizes will look like. The district said they usually have between 6,000 and 7,000 third graders each year and anticipate the same this upcoming school year.
As for parents, children who have disabilities that impact reading, were previously held back, K- 3 graders and new English speakers are exempt from being held back. And even if a student is approaching proficiency, they can move ahead to the 4th grade if they sign up for a free tutor through MSCS Literacy Commitment and the multiple pathways to 4th grade.