MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As Tennessee third graders learn whether they will pass or be held back under a new controversial retention law, parents will be able to submit appeal for students who don’t pass the required TCAP.
Tennessee third graders have finished up taking the state standardized test, known as the TCAP. The score will determine if the student must attend summer school, retake third grade, or be placed with a tutor for fourth grade.
The department of education plans to release raw scores to the districts May 19, 2023, but then it’s up to the district on when they release those scores to families.
Under a law signed Friday by Gov. Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Education is required to post the appeals process for a student who scores poorly on state testing and is at risk of being held back a grade. That appeals process has not yet been posted to the DOE website.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) said students who score "approaching or below expectations" will have the option to retake a portion of the TCAP or risk being held back. The retake is scheduled May 24 to 26.
Parents also have the option to appeal their child’s scores. The DOE will grant an appeal if a student scores "approaching" on the TCAP but has a universal screening score above the 40th percentile.
The appeals window opens May 30 through June 13.
Parents can also choose for their student to be assigned a free tutor through "Tennessee Accelerating Literacy and Learning Corps” (TN ALL Corps). Find out more HERE.