When children enter the third grade, they’re no longer learning how to read. They’re reading to learn. And if they aren’t on grade level by the end of third grade, things will get tough. Memphis-Shelby County Schools wants all students to know the joy of reading.

We started with the third-grade commitment, but as the world evolves, so do we.

Tennessee state law now requires school districts to offer programs to help children “catch on” and “catch up” on the learning that was lost when schools shut their doors during the pandemic. And that’s why the former third-grade commitment is now the MSCS Literacy Commitment, a collaborative effort between schools, families, the community, and most importantly, students of all grades.

We’re going to work together to ensure our children are reading-ready. Our commitment enhances the standards for third grade and beyond. The recently enacted state law mandates that a third-grader who does not score proficient or above on the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the most recent TCAP test, may not be promoted to the fourth grade only under certain conditions. They include:

• The student attends a learning-loss summer camp before the beginning of the upcoming school year, maintains a 90% attendance rate at the camp, and demonstrates adequate growth on the administered post-test.

OR

• The student receives high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring for the entirety of the upcoming school year from an approved tutor.

Students who do not satisfy these requirements will be retained. Some students are exempt from the retention rules, including English-language learners with less than two full school years of ELA instruction, students who were previously retained in kindergarten through third grade, and students with a disability or suspected disability that impacts their ability to read.

As a district, we are monitoring and supporting student success in grades K-2 using a universal screener. That’s one format utilized by dozens of districts to paint a clearer picture of each student's strengths and challenges. Any time a student is not meeting grade-level expectations in ELA, we’re there with nonstop support. 

Families, when we know there’s a challenge, you’ll know there’s a challenge and a solution! You, too, can be a part of the solution in many ways! Read to your children for 15 minutes each day and sign up for our year-round tutoring programs. Connect with us to see how you can help our students, our neighbors, and our community. Visit http://www.scsk12.org/commitment for information, guidance, and resources.

The goals are high, but our level of support will be even higher as we continue TRENDING UP.

By Chief Academic Officer Jaron Carson