Tennessee Legislature Votes To Hold Back Third Graders Who Don't Read At Grade Level

The Tennessee legislature approved Thursday a slate of bills meant to improve literacy among students, as well as hold schools harmless during the pandemic. One of the measures headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk allows schools to hold back third graders if they don’t read at grade level.

In Tennessee, about 64% of third graders have not been meeting that standard, according to the state’s education agency.

The proposal to hold back the lowest scorers for one year is meant to improve those numbers, says House Majority Leader William Lamberth.

“Obviously at some juncture you have to pass a child along even if they are not necessarily ready,” House Majority William Lamberth, R-Portland, said on the House floor. “But we are trying to avoid that.”

Read more: https://wpln.org/post/tennessee-legislature-votes-to-hold-back-third-graders-who-dont-read-at-grade-level/