Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 1 and Title 49, Chapter 6.

Present law requires each LEA and public charter school to annually administer a universal reading screener to each student in kindergarten through grade three (K-3) during each of the three administration windows established by the department. Present law requires the department to determine the reading proficiency level scores required for the Tennessee universal reading screener and each universal reading screener approved by the state board. This bill would also require the department to provide LEAs and public charter schools serving students in any of the grades K-3 with the reading proficiency level scores required by the department.<br /> <br /> Present law generally provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, a student in the third grade cannot be promoted to the next grade level unless the student is determined to be proficient in English language arts (ELA) based on the student's achieving a performance level rating of "on track" or "mastered" on the ELA portion of the student's most recent Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) test.<br /> <br /> This bill would instead provide that a student in the third grade is not prohibited from promotion to the next grade level if the student is determined to be proficient in reading based on the student's achieving the reading proficiency level score required by the department of education on each Tennessee universal reading screener, administered to the student in the student's third grade year, despite the ELA results on the TCAP test.<br /> <br /> Present law authorizes the state board of education to promulgate rules to establish an appeal process, to be administered by the department, for a student who is identified for retention in third grade pursuant to the provisions above based on the student's achieving a performance level rating of "approaching" on the ELA portion of the student's most recent TCAP test. Present law requires the rules to provide that if an appeal is filed, then the filing must be made by the student's parent or guardian. This bill would also allow the student's LEA to file the appeal.<br /> <br /> This bill applies to the 2022-2023 school year and each school year thereafter.<br />